FUTURE OR FANTASY - SPACE TOURISM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN PROFESSIONS.

1. FUTURE OR FANTASY - SPACE TOURISM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN PROFESSIONS. David Yu-King Wong ARB, RIBA London, United Kingdom

2. Introduction • Space Tourism is a well versed term to the space community - not so for many traditionally non-space professions. • a lack of communication between the space community and these traditionally earth-bound professions has given rise to many misunderstandings and false expectations. • This paper strives to investigate the general opinions of mainstream designers towards the emerging space tourism industry • to establish a quantitative basis for assessing the “status quo” of the design profession.

3. Methodology • a survey questionnaire targeting architecture and design professionals • 11 questions on the space tourism, space architecture and space in general • 4 questions on the background information on the respondents. • The survey were primarily conducted electronically through network of architecture professional contacts • Physical handouts of the questionnaire at the “Green/Space” seminar during the London Festival of Architecture (June 2010)

4. Demography • survey sample size = 190 • survey is primarily aimed at architecture professionals, but it is also open towards the wider design community. Survey Demography: Age Survey Demography: Age

5. Demography • survey sample size = 190 • survey is primarily aimed at architecture professionals, but it is also open towards the wider design community. Survey Demography: Professions Survey Demography: Professions

6. Demography • survey sample size = 190 • survey is primarily aimed at architecture professionals, but it is also open towards the wider design community. Survey Demography: Countries Survey Demography: Genders

7. Question 1 Do you believe that some people will be living on another planet or in the outer space, for private, recreational or commercial purposes in the future? Overall Results [1.00] - Overall positive responses from the majority of survey participants.

8. Question 1 Do you believe that some people will be living on another planet or in the outer space, for private, recreational or commercial purposes in the future? Age: 18-35 Age: 35-65+ [1.02] - Ageyounger age groups appear to be less optimistic towards the future prospect of space tourism when compared to older age groups.

9. Question 1 Do you believe that some people will be living on another planet or in the outer space, for private, recreational or commercial purposes in the future? Architecture professionals Other design professionals [1.03] - Professions architecture professionals appear to be less optimistic towards the future prospect of space tourism when compared to the other design professionals.

10. Question 2 Do you think architecture as a profession should be involved in the design of space habitat / space architecture for outer space and other planets? Overall Results [2.00] - Overall positive responses from the majority of survey participants.

11. Question 2 Do you think architecture as a profession should be involved in the design of space habitat / space architecture for outer space and other planets? Age: 18-35 Age: 35-65+ [2.02] - Age younger survey participants appear to be slightly less enthusiastic to the idea that architecture as a profession should get involved in the design of space habitat / space architecture.

12. Question 2 Do you think architecture as a profession should be involved in the design of space habitat / space architecture for outer space and other planets? Architecture professionals Other design professionals [2.03] - Professions architecture professionals appear to be slightly less enthusiastic to the idea that architecture as a profession should get involved in the design of space habitat / space architecture.

13. Question 3 When do you think space tourism as an emerging industry will become accessible to the general public, as the aviation industry did in the later half of the 20th century? Overall Results [3.00] - Overall there is no consensus among the survey participants on the timescale of when space tourism could become accessible to the general public..

14. Question 3 When do you think space tourism as an emerging industry will become accessible to the general public, as the aviation industry did in the later half of the 20th century? Architecture professionals Other design professionals [3.03] - Professions Architecture professionals expect a longer time scale on average for space tourism to become accessible to general public, when compared to other professional groups. A significantly higher percentage of architecture professionals believe that space tourism is not going to become accessible to the general public in foreseeable future.

15. Question 3 When do you think space tourism as an emerging industry will become accessible to the general public, as the aviation industry did in the later half of the 20th century? Male Female [3.04] - Genders Female survey participants expect a longer time scale on average for space tourism to become accessible to general public, when comparing to its male counterparts.

16. Question 4 When do you think space tourism as an emerging industry will become accessible to the general public, as the aviation industry did in the later half of the 20th century? Overall Results [4.00] - Overall Over a third of all survey participants express a very strong interest in space and is keen to converge their general interests in space with their professional careers.

17. Question 4 When do you think space tourism as an emerging industry will become accessible to the general public, as the aviation industry did in the later half of the 20th century? UK US Europe Rest of the World [4.01] - Countries UK survey participants express a significantly lower level of interest in space on average when compared to survey participants from US and Europe.

18. Question 4 When do you think space tourism as an emerging industry will become accessible to the general public, as the aviation industry did in the later half of the 20th century? Age: 18-35 Age: 35-65+ [4.02] - Age younger survey participants express a lower level of interest in space on average when compared to those from the older age groups.

19. Question 4 When do you think space tourism as an emerging industry will become accessible to the general public, as the aviation industry did in the later half of the 20th century? Architecture professionals Other design professionals [4.03] - Professions architecture professionals express a significantly lower level of interests in space on average when compared to survey participants from other professional groups.

20. Question 5 Please choose one of the following answers which best describes your opinion towards the space tourism industry and its associated services. Overall Results [[5.00] - Overall over two-thirds of survey participants express positive opinions towards space tourism industry and its associated services

21. Question 5 Please choose one of the following answers which best describes your opinion towards the space tourism industry and its associated services. UK US Europe Rest of the World [5.01] - Countries UK survey participants have, on average, expressed a less positive opinion towards space tourism when compared to survey participants from US and Europe.

22. Question 5 Please choose one of the following answers which best describes your opinion towards the space tourism industry and its associated services. Age: 18-35 Age: 35-65+ [5.02] - Age younger survey participants have, on average, expressed less positive opinion towards space tourism when compared to those from the older age groups.

23. Question 5 Please choose one of the following answers which best describes your opinion towards the space tourism industry and its associated services. Architecture professionals Other design professionals [5.03] - Professions architecture professionals have, on average, expressed a less positive opinion towards space tourism when compared to survey participants from other professional groups.

24. Question 5 Please choose one of the following answers which best describes your opinion towards the space tourism industry and its associated services. Male Female [5.04] - Genders female survey participants have, on average, expressed a slightly less positive opinion towards space tourism when compared to male survey participants.

25. Question 6 Please rate the following professional services that you would like to provide to the space tourism industry based on your own interests: Overall Results [6.00] - Overall survey results indicate a broad spectrum of opinions - no majority trend can be established. survey participants have on average, indicated a lesser interest in project management and system engineering than the more design oriented services.

26. Question 6 Please rate the following professional services that you would like to provide to the space tourism industry based on your own interests: Average of Interest [6.00] - Overall survey results indicate a broad spectrum of opinions - no majority trend can be established. survey participants have on average, indicated a lesser interest in project management and system engineering than the more design oriented services.

27. Question 7 Who do you think should act as the "champions" for architects and design professionals for their involvement in the space tourism industry? Overall Results [7.00] - Overall survey results indicate a broad spectrum of opinions - the largest opinion group (national space agencies) represents only a little over a quarter of the total survey responses. Around half of the survey participants who choose the "other" category believe in multi-lateral efforts instead of relying on a "champion"

28. Question 7 Who do you think should act as the "champions" for architects and design professionals for their involvement in the space tourism industry? UK US Europe Rest of the World [7.01] - Countries marginal differences in opinions between survey participants from UK, US and Europe. Although not considered to be the prime candidate, UK survey participants have expressed a higher expectation (ranked 3rd in UK) of the professional architecture institutes, of its "champion" role into space tourism than any other countries (ranked 5th in US, 6th in Europe and rest of the world)

29. Question 7 Who do you think should act as the "champions" for architects and design professionals for their involvement in the space tourism industry? Age: 18-35 Age: 35-65+ [7.02] - Age younger survey participants are on average, more likely to believe that national space agencies would do more for architects and design professionals than any other groups.

30. Question 7 Who do you think should act as the "champions" for architects and design professionals for their involvement in the space tourism industry? Architecture professionals Other design professionals [7.03] - Professions architecture professionals are more likely to believe that national space agencies would do more for architects and design professionals for their involvement in the space tourism industry than any other groups. other design professionals tend to believe that the established space architecture community would do more for them instead.

31. Question 8 If you were to engage design works in relation to space tourism, from whom would you expect to receive the most useful professional support and guidance? Overall Results [8.00] - Overall Almost half of the total survey participants believe that they will be able to receive the most useful professional support and guidance from the national space agencies.

32. Question 8 If you were to engage design works in relation to space tourism, from whom would you expect to receive the most useful professional support and guidance? UK US Europe Rest of the World [8.01] - Countries marginal differences in opinions between survey participants from different countries. survey participants from Europe tend to believe that they are as likely to receive useful support and professional guidance from the space architecture community as from the national space agencies.

33. Question 8 If you were to engage design works in relation to space tourism, from whom would you expect to receive the most useful professional support and guidance? Age: 18-35 Age: 35-65+ [8.02] - Age older age groups tend to believe that they are as likely to receive useful support and professional guidance from the space architecture community as from the national space agencies.

34. Question 8 If you were to engage design works in relation to space tourism, from whom would you expect to receive the most useful professional support and guidance? Architecture professionals Other design professionals [8.03] - Professions architecture professionals tend to believe that they are more likely to receive useful professional support and guidance from the national space agencies than any other groups. architecture professionals as a group do not seem to have much expectation of the professional architecture institutes in providing useful professional support and guidance on the subject.

35. Question 8 If you were to engage design works in relation to space tourism, from whom would you expect to receive the most useful professional support and guidance? Male Female [8.04] - Genders female survey participants tend to believe that they are as likely to receive useful support and professional guidance from the space architecture community as from the national space agencies.

36. Question 9 In a hypothetical scenario; an established client of yours (who is not known to be previously engaged with the space tourism industry) asked your company to carry out a 100 man-hour feasibility study on a preliminary space hotel design on a no fee basis. No guarantee was given to the potential opportunity of progressing to the later stages of design. Which of the following answers best describes your likely decision? Overall Results [9.00] - Overall Almost a third of all survey participants indicate that they will consider accepting the design commission without fee. Another third of all survey participants indicate that they will consider accepting the design commission providing they can get paid at least the bare minimum fee for the work. Only a minority indicate that they would not consider taking up the commission at all.

37. Question 9 In a hypothetical scenario; an established client of yours (who is not known to be previously engaged with the space tourism industry) asked your company to carry out a 100 man-hour feasibility study on a preliminary space hotel design on a no fee basis. No guarantee was given to the potential opportunity of progressing to the later stages of design. Which of the following answers best describes your likely decision? Architecture professionals Other design professionals [9.03] - Professions architecture professionals are on average less likely to consider accepting the commission without fee than other design professionals.

38. Question 10 Based on the same hypothetical scenario set out in the previous question; On the basis of a successful feasibility study, your client would like to offer you / your company an opportunity to follow through to the preliminary space hotel design and develop it in detail, at a fair market fee basis. Which of the following answers best describe your self assessment of job readiness. Overall Results [10.00] - Overall Over half of all survey participants indicate that they are ready, or have plan to acquire essential capacity if necessary, to develop a space hotel design in detail. Over a third of all survey participants considered themselves not ready and do not know from where to develop the essential know-how.

39. Question 10 Based on the same hypothetical scenario set out in the previous question; On the basis of a successful feasibility study, your client would like to offer you / your company an opportunity to follow through to the preliminary space hotel design and develop it in detail, at a fair market fee basis. Which of the following answers best describe your self assessment of job readiness. UK US Europe Rest of the World [10.01] - Countries survey participants from UK are less likely to feel positive about carrying out space related design work compared to those from the US, Europe and the rest of the world.

40. Question 10 Based on the same hypothetical scenario set out in the previous question; On the basis of a successful feasibility study, your client would like to offer you / your company an opportunity to follow through to the preliminary space hotel design and develop it in detail, at a fair market fee basis. Which of the following answers best describe your self assessment of job readiness. Age: 18-35 Age: 35-65+ [10.02] - Age younger survey participants express a lower level of readiness on average when compared to those from the older age groups.

41. Question 10 Based on the same hypothetical scenario set out in the previous question; On the basis of a successful feasibility study, your client would like to offer you / your company an opportunity to follow through to the preliminary space hotel design and develop it in detail, at a fair market fee basis. Which of the following answers best describe your self assessment of job readiness. Age: 18-35 Age: 35-65+ [10.03] - Professions while the percentage of "readied" survey participants are similar among different professional groups, a slightly higher percentage of architecture professionals claim to not be interested in space related design work at all.

42. Question 11 Please rate the following benefits space architecture might bring to main stream architecture & design profession, based on your opinion to their likelihoods to be realised: Science and technology spin-offs - space industry will introduce new ways of creating intelligent and environmentally friendly design into the mainstream architecture and design profession. Intellectual advances - Research in space architecture will challenge established mindsets and expand the vocabularies of existing dialogues of architectural theories and creative thinking. Inspire new generations - Space architecture can create grand visions and inspirations for the younger generations; demonstrating how unique and far reaching architecture and design can be. New opportunities - Multi-disciplinary engagement with the space tourism industry will open up many new design opportunities that were previously unknown to architects and design professionals.

43. Question 11 Please rate the following benefits space architecture might bring to main stream architecture & design profession, based on your opinion to their likelihoods to be realised: Overall Results [11.00] - Overall majority of the survey participants feel positive that space architecture can bring the benefits listed above to main stream architecture and design professions. opinions towards all four benefits are fairly even - no majority trend can be established.

44. Summary - overall • Survey results indicate an overall receptive opinion towards space and a positive interest in the emerging space tourism industry. • A general consensus that the development of space architecture could bring many benefits to the mainstream architecture and design professions. • Uncertainty over how to get involved and how to take advantage of the potential new opportunities offered by the space tourism.

45. Summary – young age groups (aged 18-35) • Tend to be less enthusiastic about space and more sceptical of the benefits space tourism might bring. • Have higher expectation of the national space agencies.

46. Summary – architecture professionals • Tend to be less enthusiastic about space, and have a slightly higher level of negative opinions towards space tourism. • Have higher expectation of the national space agencies • Tend to be more conservative and adopt a realistic approach towards speculative space related works.

47. Summary – professional architecture institutes • Among the least expected to champion the cause for the architecture and design professions to engage with the emerging space tourism industry. • Architecture professionals also do not seem to have any higher expectation on the professional institutes when compared to those from non architecture background.

48. Summary – genders • Both genders share similar opinions on the more generic questions about space and getting involved with space tourism. • Female survey participants tend to be more sceptical on specific questions such as timescale, its interest in particular professional services, or the benefits space tourism might bring etc.

49. Summary – countries of origins • Survey participants from United Kingdom have on average, expressed a significantly lower level of interest in space, more sceptical towards the emerging space tourism industry and are lesslikely to feel positive about carrying out space related design work. • a slightly higher expectation towards the professional architecture institutes (ranked 3rd in UK) than any other countries (ranked 5th for US, 6th for Europe and rest of the world)

50. Conclusion In summary, the survey has achieved its primary goal of giving an illustrative account of the status quo between the space sector and the mainstream architecture & design professions. The survey results have galvanised the idea that more interactions between the traditional design disciplines and the space sector could be mutually beneficial. The findings from the survey analysis could provide new ground of debates on how to make the most out of the cross-disciplinary exchanges between the space sector and the traditional architecture & design professions.