Groundbreaking Space Greenhouse Created to Grow Plants for Earth’s Inhabitants
The Venice Architecture Biennale is celebrated for presenting cutting-edge and transformative projects, with Heatherwick Studio’s “Space Garden” serving as a key illustration of this principle. Created in partnership with the Aurelia Institute, Space Garden is an innovative idea focused on merging science with sustainability. This creative initiative envisions a greenhouse situated in low-Earth orbit composed of pods that grow typical garden plants.
The model showcased at the Biennale spans four meters by four meters and features 30 pods. These pods can independently open and close, providing optimal sunlight access while shielding from space debris. At the heart of the model lies a pomegranate tree, symbolizing the early efforts of human agriculture and cultivation.
As futuristic as it may seem, a proof-of-concept launch for the Space Garden is on the brink of realization. This project is in line with the wider ambition of “offworlding,” which entails relocating certain earthly processes to space to reduce environmental pressure on our planet.
Dr. Ariel Ekblaw, CEO of the Aurelia Institute and an MIT alumna, emphasizes the remarkable opportunities that space presents for tackling significant issues on Earth: “Space Garden is our vision for an orbiting greenhouse, and an invitation to engage with new ways of thinking about building in and for extreme environments. We are focused on developing in-space infrastructure for the public good of life on Earth.”
Heatherwick Studio has made certain that the greenhouse is both practical and visually appealing. This year’s Venice Architecture Biennale highlights humanity’s capacity for problem-solving, featuring a segment dedicated specifically to solutions based in space.
Thomas Heatherwick offers his view on the project: “I’m fascinated by outer space. But, maybe surprisingly, not in its own right. Instead, by its potential to help humans live better lives on Earth.”
Space Garden will be exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennale until November 23, 2025, providing insights into the future of sustainable design.
Heatherwick Studio persists in discovering new frontiers in architecture, utilizing outer space to ultimately support and sustain life on Earth. The Space Garden embodies a substantial advance toward fulfilling that vision.