Moving to Mars: Design for the Red Planet

by Justin McGuirk (Foreword), Andrew Nahum (Editor), Mike Ashley (Contributor)

Designing humanity’s future on the Red the clothes, cutlery and habitats of everyday life on another world Moving to Mars is the first book ever to thoroughly explore the crucial role that design will play in the collective endeavor to travel to and inhabit Mars.

A comprehensive overview of both past and current developments in space travel and colonization, it begins with the evolution of the space suit and rocket technology; it then proceeds to explore a wide range of fascinating and never-before-seen projects on Mars-specific habitations, covering everything from space-ready cutlery to clothes, furniture and speculative habitats.

Illustrated with color images of rarely seen drawings, concepts and prototypes, plus newly commissioned essays by the designers, artists and scientists who are charting the path forward to Mars, this book literally reveals a whole new future for humankind, fleshing out a vision of an everyday reality on another planet.

Genres: Science, Design, Nonfiction

220 pages, Hardcover

Published December 17, 2019

Reviews

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magnificent book!

This is how you write about history. This is how you write about science. This is how you question what it means to be human, and how to look at things from a different point of view. This is how you pass the Bechtel Test in a non-fiction format. This is how you embrace a beloved subject and hold it at arm’s length, asking ‘should we?’ along with ‘could we?’

The book is a compilation of facts, interviews, past histories, future speculations, current events, inventions, artwork, science, fashion, philosophy and more, all gorgeously illustrated with artwork, photos, film stills, old notebook sketches, and wireframe renderings.

The book seriously looks at the question of humans on Mars, and, for all the information here, wisely concludes there is not yet an answer.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at potential human exploration and habitation of Mars, this publication of the The Design Museum centers on solving some of the prominent problems from a design perspective. Editors subdivide their examination into historic perspectives of Mars, arriving there, surviving there, and creating a Martian human colony. In no way do the authors urge any of these steps. They only mean to ask questions about physical, psychological, and ethical challenges and how design might address them. And, at each stage, the editors are careful to acknowledge fully the pitfalls of transplanting a very flawed species on another planet, especially in light of humanity's history of exploitative colonization and extractive capitalism. Even Elon Musk receives considerable censure. At just over 200 pages, this book seems longer than it is. However, it is mostly illustrations, and the only real reading is of essays within each section... and tiny-print captions. The illustrations are sometimes too small to scrutinize effectively, but the array of essays—especially an interview with Kim Stanley Robinson in a later chapter—are engaging and thought-provoking.

[Fabrizio Forlani · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelous voyage in how artistic depiction and designers have imagined living in the space in other planets. The historical part is very good. The concept design proposed in an attempt to make speculative design or a design-fiction is very pleasant and convincing.
Recommended.

[Diana Chaykina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine. Arrive. Survive. Thrive.

[Stuart Faulkner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful accompaniment to the exhibition ta The Design Museum

[Karenza]

I thought it was going to be a bit graphic design student but actually a lot of interesting stuff and a variety of viewpoints and critique. Stopped reading every few paragraphs to talk to whoever was around me about what I just read