Erdem Architects proposes ice pyramids city for Mars

"Legend is the fairytale-like story of the project," said team leader and landscape architect Sunay Erdem, describing the project.

Image © Erdem Architects

"When we look scientifically, one of the easiest structures that can be made is the pyramid! In the time of the Egyptians, we did not have the technology and made those giant pyramids with the possibilities. We now have limited opportunities on Mars, and we have to make the most reasonable construction, which is the pyramid."

"To survive on Mars, you need to create an isolated environment from the outside. The atmosphere contains 95% of carbon dioxide in a dense amount, so the radiation prevails and the average temperature is -63°C. Considering all these factors, a closed space requirement arises. It is a must for plant production, hence oxygen production, which is indoor but also capable of sunlight. It's a kind of greenhouse environment. It's the first glass to come to mind, but it's hard to find it on the Red Planet, it's just that the most transparent material found underground on Mars is ice."

Image © Erdem Architects

"The ice is impermeable to radiation, but it passes through the sun's rays, allowing us to relate the light environment and the environment. We have to remove the bubble from the underground and keep the pyramid scaffolding. For this, we drill into the underground bubble to melt and remove it to the surface of Mars and inject it into the pyramids. The weather conditions (-63°C) of the region we have selected on the planet will be sufficient for the liquid material to be transformed back into buckwheat. So we think that we can take the first bases of the Glacial Pyramids City on the planet of Mars with our limited opportunities."

Article originally published on World Architecture Community.