Architectural evolution of space settlements in cinema and television

Abstract

Space settlement as a science fiction theme has been very popular in the last 70 years in cinema and television. Gaining its roots from scientific and technological developments, the topic evolved throughout decades to become much more comprehensive nowadays. The evolution that started with physical models to depict the space station as a pure geometric form continues today with much more complex structures that express the infrastructure, features, and appearance of a space settlement. Through developments in space technologies, together with the progress in computer generated imaging methods, contemporary movies represent space stations and settlements in a much detailed way. Therefore, the architecture of the space settlement in cinema and TV becomes a remarkable theme. Consequently, the role of architects in the design of space settlements in cinema and TV increases. This paper presents an analysis of the architectural evolution of space stations and settlements in cinema and TV through examples with a chronological order from 1950s to 2000s. The analysis is based on the relationship of scientific requirements of a space settlement and existing scientific studies on the design of space settlements with their reflections on the cinema and television industries. The outcomes of the analysis put forth that the detail level, functionality, and architectural style of space settlements in movies evolved through time. Therefore, architects’ role in movies and the design of space settlements shall increase thanks to the developments in representation, production, and construction technologies