Envisioning life on Mars in the 24H Competition 13th edition

The dream of sending humans to the Red Planet continues to inspire us Earthlings. In Ideas Forward's Mars-themed 24H Competition, participants across the globe had the chance to play with this space-age narrative by designing a Mars station habitat that is equipped to provide the necessities of everyday living. But like all of the previous 24H Competitions, participants only had 24 hours to create and submit their proposals.

After reviewing all the submissions, the competition jury selected three winners and eight honorable mentions. Have a look at the top entries and some of the jury's comments below.

(cover image) 1ST PRIZE: Stephanie Wyant, Isabel Clay, Joshua Rigeslford, Glyn Whibley, Dellanie Byron | Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Jury comments:

“Silica Stilio proposes hexagonal programmatic units which penetrate into the ground of Mars. The idea of using local materials which already exist on Mars, using them for 3d printing construction elements, and the concern for recycling waste material make the project stand out in the competition.” — Heves Beseli

“As a typical underground settlement which can be a very appropriate for such hostile environments, with its modular organization and its ability to transform the excavated material into the main construction material, this proposal introduces an innovative approach for generating spaces for human existence on mars. Spaces that are formed through the combination of hexagonal holes carries potentials for variety in spaces that house different functions.” — Onur Yuncu

“The proposal presents a very creative and innovative design. It reveals a very original construction concept from hexagonal modules that are repeated and are previously constructed by "spider robots" using the local raw material itself, in order to constitute the future habitats for the first inhabitants of mars. It also makes intelligent use of the subsoil of Mars to simultaneously serve as protection for the aggressive environment and sustainable support for human life.” — Francisco Polvora

2ND PRIZE: Cosmin O. Galatianu, Cristian Besliu, Horia Munteanu | Bucharest, Romania

Jury comments:

“Main idea of detaching the human habitat from mars while inhabiting it is an ingenious approach. Construction will be simpler without the need of foundations, just depending on the gravity. Human interaction with the hostile environment of mars will be controlled and safe. Detachment of the structure from the surface of mars also contributes to the preservation of mars as it is during human intervention. Long term projection for the structure as an archaeological artifact is well thought and presented.” — Onur Yuncu

“Something strange, different, risky and utopian. This projects deserves the 2nd place because it’s a different idea that can lead to a different way of building in mars. However it’s an unrealistic project.” — Rafael Gonzalez

“It is a proposal of great beauty and originality that develops a very interesting concept of colonization of Mars. Based on the study and prior knowledge of the planet itself, the adaptation of the future colony and its descendants to it and the transformation of the living conditions of the planet in order to make it more friendly and human. Despite the radical nature of the proposal and its confrontation with the known and difficult habitable conditions of the planet Mars, the proposal is characterized by a deep hope in the success of its colonization.” — Francisco Polvora

3RD PRIZE: Eduardo Chirlaque Rico, Francisco Marco Peñas | Alicante, Spain

Jury comments:

“Well thought out and executed underground levels. Wonderfully represents the interior spaces. Very strong graphical presentation.” — Bryan Versteeg

““Argonout" displays a skillful integration of environmental factors and functional requirements given in the competition program. The proposal to build a self-sustaining living environment drilled underground with respect to the physical context of Mars is successfully executed considering the 24 hour time constraint. Consistent spatial layering of different levels and the clear plan organization are appreciated.” — Heves Beseli

“The proposal develops a fairly complete program through a large ‘argonauta nau’ that takes advantage of the soil morphology of the planet Mars by building the negative of a crater. Through its interesting geometry and deployment in the subsoil establishes the necessary conditions to guarantee its sustainability.” — Francisco Polvora

Don't forget to check out the Honorable Mention entries in the gallery below!

All images courtesy of Ideas Forward.