Blog

HARMONISE

Recycling of hardware for Moon and Martian settlement September 2022 – February 2024 ESA Express Procurement Plus – EXPRO+ Nowadays, human Moon and Mars exploration, and the consequent desire to establish a permanent settlement on their surface, represents one of the most fascinating challenge to face. The permanent presence of a human outpost very far […]

Space Designer

The LIQUIFER team were interviewed about extraterrestrial ideas and sustainable ideas for outer space and Earth by journalist Michaela Veit-Wailzer at Signature Magazine. (Text in German). February 2023

Designing for Earth by living in Space

Barbara Imhof shows how architecture is developing beyond the boundaries of our planet to study zero-waste housing systems, in which every available resource becomes essential for survival. This talk was given at a TEDx event in Mestre, Italy, using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. 13 NOV 2022

This is (not) rocket science!

Space science informed by Citizen Scientists Initiated by the Vienna Museum of Science and Technology, LIQUIFER and 10 other research partners are generating a platform to reflect upon developments in space science which will affect our future in Space and on Earth. During the project children and young people will take on the role of […]

Czech Space Week 2022

As part of a panel on ‘Prospective directions in space research with high commercial and scientific potential’ , René Waclavicek was in conversation with Julie Dobrovolná, Head of Molecular Metabolism and Chronic Diseases at Masaryk University, Czech Republic, and Vratislav Šálený from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Brno University of Technology. Space Week 2022 was held at Brno planetarium.

LUWEX water on the moon

Validation of Lunar Water Extraction and Purification Technologies for In-Situ Propellant and Consumables Production November 2022 – October 2024 EU-HORIZON project funded under GA 101081937 LUWEX website > The utilisation of available local resources is key to a sustainable human presence on the moon or Mars and beyond. Indications for the availability of local raw […]

When two space architects meet …

Interview for FLUTER with Waltraut Hoheneder and Barbara Imhof discuss learning from planning space habitats for building on Earth. (interview in German) by Interview: Benjamin Breitegger. (FLUTER – Magazine of the Federal Agency for Civic Education)

Frederick Kiesler: Arts and Correalities.

Barbara Imhof gives a talk entitles ‘Homo Spatius’ during the ‘Archeology of the future//Prospective scenarios of the past: Activation for the here and now, current discourse’ segment of  the symposium. To be held in Auditorium, University of Applied Arts Vienna. 20 Oct 2022

Book launch and round table

Co-Corporeality: Of Humans, Machines & Microbes Book launch for the publication from the FWF project Co-Corporeality. Editors Barbara Imhof, Daniela Mitterberger and Tiziano Derme invite guests to discuss the cultural and scientific relevance of observing the environment at different scales in order to understand ecological relations and co-corporealities. Hosted by Zentrum Fokus Forschung, University of […]

Going to the moon with ARTEMIS

SPACE SPECIALS podcast: Barbara Imhof and Niamh Shaw are in conversation about humans going to the moon, with contributions from Sian Cleaver from Airbus, NASA Astronauts Doug Hurley and Rick Mastraccio (now working on SLS at Northrup Grumman) and NASA astronaut Stan Love. Listen here. 19 September 2022  

Co-Corporeality of Humans, Machines, & Microbes

New open access BOOK out! Developed through the artistic research project Co-Corporeality, edited by 

Barbara Imhof, Daniela Mitterberger and Tiziano Derme, Birkhäuser, 2022. Funded by the FWF – Austrian research Fund. Published in the series Edition Angewandte. Copy-edited by Jennifer Cunningham.

Co-Corporeality

of Humans, Machines & Microbes OPEN ACCESS On architecture, AI, and microbiology The theory of Co-Corporeality is based on a conception of the built environment as a biological entity that opens up a space for coexistence and interaction between humans and microbial life. Based on design-led research, this book explores how we can develop environments […]

Humans in Space

SPACE SPECIALS podcast: Niamh Shaw speaks with astronaut Bob Thirsk about living on space station and the ESA general director Josef Aschbacher about his passion for space. Listen here. 12 July 2022

EINS ZU HUNDERT (1:100)

Working with ‘models’ is an exhibition in the windows of the studio Steinbrener/Dempf & Huber, Glockengasse/Rotensterngasse, Vienna. Along with a group of local artists and architects LIQUIFER were invited to exhibit as part of EINS ZU HUNDERT. LIQUIFER responded with a poster describing the human relationship to cosmic scales, giving visual examples of an astronaut […]

EINS ZU HUNDERT

EINS ZU HUNDERT (1:100)23. June – 20. August 2022 Working with models – an exhibition in the windows of the studio Steinbrener/Dempf & Huber, Glockengasse/Rotensterngasse, 1020 Wien Along with a group of local artists and architects LIQUIFER were invited to exhibit in the windows of the artist studio Steinbrener/Dempf & Huber. Each group was given a […]

Zero Gravity

LIQUIFER are exhibiting their ISS Sleep Kit as part of a Summer exhibition at Raum für Kunst, Düsseldorf, Germany. The exhibition explores zero gravity’s “islands of stability” in Outer Space. Works shown are by members of Spartnic, The Weightless Artists Association. 10 – 25 June 2022

Zero Gravity

  ZERO GRAVITY 10 – 25 June 2022 LIQUIFER are exhibiting their ISS Sleep Kit as part of a Summer exhibition at Raum für Kunst, Düsseldorf, Germany. The exhibition explores zero gravity’s “islands of stability” in Outer Space. Works shown are by members of Spartnic, The Weightless Artists Association: Aljoscha, Dmitrij Dihovichnij,  David Fried, Max […]

HOMO SPATIUS

HOMO SPATIUS 30 November 2021 – 30 January 2022 LIQUIFER are exhibiting their RegoLight project as part of a three-month long exhibition at the Cité du design, Saint Etienne, France. The exhibition explores the intersections and influences of space exploration and design. In collaboration with the Centre national d’études spatiales (Cnes), the show reflects an […]

Building Beyond Lecture

As part of The Bartlett International Lectures Spring 2022, Barbara Imhof, space architect and design researcher and Sonya Dyer, artist and writer, gave lectures before engaging in a dialogue about their work exploring extreme realities and fictions of living in deep space.

OFR Culture Monday

The space architect Barbara Imhof shows the lunar modules of LIQUIFER in a segment on Infinite Expanses in OFR’s Culture Monday. Watch from 23:50 here. FEB 7 2022

PAVING THE ROAD

Paving the road for large area sintering of regolith June 2021 – December 2022 European Space Agency (ESA) project A prerequisite for future human exploration of the Moon will be the manufacture of objects directly on the lunar surface, as transporting materials from Earth is extremely expensive. As for any form of manufacturing, the availability […]

Wait a Minute

Recorded in Vienna and Los Angeles and edited by Andrea Lenardin and Peter Noever, Wait a Minute documents snapshots from a suspended moment within a global pandemic from a select group of artists, architects, and thinkers with feet in both Vienna and Los Angeles. Barbara Imhof was one of over 30 contributors who considered the […]

Homo Spatius: Space Designers

LIQUIFER are exhibiting their RegoLight project as part of a three-month long exhibition at the Cité du design, Saint Etienne, France. The exhibition explores the intersections and influences of space exploration and design. In collaboration with the Centre national d’études spatiales (Cnes), the show reflects an interest in the challenges of design for a transition to […]

How can humans live on Mars?

Interview with space architect Dr Barbara Imhof and US scientist Prof Bruce Jakosky on Servus TV’s show P.M. Wissen. Presenter Dr Gernot Grömer looks into visions in science, and in this show focusses on designing for space. [Deutsch sprachen, von 9:00 minuten] 28. OCT  

Long Night of the Museums

Temporary Exhibition by LIQUIFER as part of Night of the Long Museums 2 October 2021 LIQUIFER were invited to show their work as part of the ‘Night of the Long Museums’ in Vienna. Museums throughout Austria and in parts of Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Germany extend their opening hours on the same night for the […]

CREATIVITY, ORIGINALITY, INGENUITY

A panel discussion was held as part of the ‘Concrete Poetry and Such’ transdisciplinary, experimental symposium at the Kunsthaus Muerz. Moderated  by Roman Grabner, Barbara Imhof was in conversation with Mathias Benedek, creativity and intelligence researcher, University of Graz; Sarah Khan, freelance writer, Berlin; Nikolai Tunkowitsch, musician and violin maker, Vienna and Renate C.-Z.-Quehenberger, philosopher […]

ARTISTIC RESEARCH AND ARCHITECTURE: ON THE POSSIBILITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF APPLIED UNDERSTANDING THROUGH ART AND RESEARCH

Gerald Bast, Anderwald + Grond, Alex Arteaga, Tiziano Derme and Daniela Mitterberger, Barbara Imhof and Clemens Preisinger in a conversation moderated by Alexander Damianisch discuss the projects of the Angewandte’s Zentrum Fokus Forschung (Focus Research Centre) of the Angewandte at the Venice Biennale. Watch the conversation here. 25 SEPT 2021

Promise of Space Architecture

Barbara Imhof interviews two young space architects for another Radio Orange Space Special. Monika Lipinska and Vittorio Netti talk about about their path into the field, their current work and their dreams. 20 Sep 2021

Autumn 2021 Newsletter

LIQUIFER sent out their Autumn Newsletter to subscribers in September, reflecting on the past months of conversations, exhibitions and projects. You can read it here and subscribe here. 13 September 2021  

SPACE MATTER MATTERS

for Re-Edited, the inaugural issue of ADATO, Waltraut Hoheneder, René Waclavicek and Barbara Imhof wrote an article about when outerspace architecture becomes a rolemodel for rethinking conventional habitats. 26 Aug 2021

Experimental Architecture Biennale Symposium

The LIQUIFER Team present their work as part of a three session symposium with the ROBOTIC BUILDING team at TU Delft and FLOW, CVUT Prague. This is the closing event for the fifth Experimental Architecture Biennale in Prague, looking at Novel Innovations in Architectural practice. 9 August 2021

Human Performance in Space

new Space Specials PODCAST – listen to Human Performance in Space. Barbara Imhof speaks to Dr. Virginia Wotring, professor at the International Space University in Strasbourg and human performance researcher for NASA.

SPACE DOGS

Following a screening of the Austrian space film SPACE DOGS, Franziska Bechtold moderated a panel discussion with Barbara Imhof; Moritz Novak, TU Wien Space Team; historian Christian Klösch and Norbert Frischauf, Österreichisches Weltraum Forum / Austrian Space Forum. They talked about the development of space travel and their visions for the future. 14 July 2021

Novel Innovations

Temporary Exhibition by LIQUIFER with the Experimental Architecture Biennale30 June – 20 August 2021   Liquifer were invited to show their RegoLight project as part of Novel Innovations, the 5th Volume of the Prague Experimental Architecture Biennial (EAB) at the Jaroslav Fragner Gallery over the summer. Experimental Architecture Biennial is a unique platform focused on […]

Experimental Architecture Biennial

30 June – 20 August 2021. Liquifer were invited to show their RegoLight project as part of Novel Innovations, the 5th Volume of the Prague Experimental Architecture Biennial (EAB) at the Jaroslav Fragner Gallery over the summer. EAB introduces new proposals that open and support the local discourse on new architectural and design approaches in […]

Excavations from humans, machines and microbes

29 June – 2 July 2021. Cocorporeality will show their first episode of three exhibitions during the Angewandte Festival in VZA EG, Raum 030-031 at the university. “Excavations” demonstrates Machine Learning moderated interactions between humans and living materials in an unorthodox laboratory setting.

ESERO Austria – Building for space

Building for Space, 1 June 2021 Barbara Imhof presents as part of the ESERO Austria symposium two space architecture projects: the International Habitat Module of the Lunar Gateway Space Station, which is to be built in lunar orbit from 2026 onwards, and the Regolight project, which uses the lunar resources of sunlight and sand to […]

Reciprocities: the earth – space continuum.

Reciprocities: the earth – space continuum. 18 May 2021 Barbara Imhof in conversation with space architects Christina Ciardullo and Marc Cohen about how space and earth architecture can be connected and what diffentiates them from each other. Radio Orange podcast. Listen here.

SMARTIE

Smart Resource Management based on Internet of Things to support off-Earth manufacturing of lunar infrastructures (SMARTIE) March 2021 – November 2021 European Space Agency (ESA) project SMARTIE is an inclusive feasibility study analysing the requirements for future network infrastructures considering items such as data management and budget to exploit and optimize Moon Factories Management and […]

Of spacesuits and other “dress codes” for space

Barbara Imhof speaks to Annalisa Dominoni and Brand Griffin about clothes, garments and spacesuits for astronauts for this Radio Orange Broadcast. Annalisa Dominoni is a designer and professor at the Politecnico di Milano and Brand Griffin is the Program Manager for a Single-Person Spacecraft at Genesis Engineering Solutions. Listen here. 16 March 2021

The pioneers of space architecture

Barbara Imhof, Waltraut Hoheneder and René Waclavicek in discussion with Birgit Eller Krumm for KAP A podcast about art, culture and architecture. LIQUIFER discuss building for weightlessness, possibilities for lunar settlement, science fiction films and why space architecture can also broaden horizons for life on Earth. 6 March 2021

Simulators and Simulations

A Space Architecture Gathering with AIAA LA-LV Section, Barbara Imhof gives a talk about SHEE, MOONWALK and EDEN ISS in the Session “Simulators and Simulations“ joining guests Prof. Madhu Thangavelu, Prof. Bernard Foing – Advanced Projects, European Space Agency, Dr. Pascal Lee – Mars Institute, Dr. Angelo Vermeulen – SEADS Network, Dr. Bob Zubrin – Mars […]

Dream Big

RADIO ORANGE BROADCAST with Irish engineer, scientist, writer and performer Niamh Shaw recently voted one of Ireland’s leading science communicators and STEAM specialists (merging science, technology, engineering, arts and maths). Niamh believes in Dreaming Big and is on a mission to get to Space. 15 DEC 2020

Out of this world architecture

WIA-E Rome invited Barbara Imhof, internationally active space architect, design researcher, educator and co-founder of LIQUIFER Vienna and Bremen to give a lecture exploring the implications of space as an environment for future habitation. 15 Dec 2020

Architecture in Space

René Waclavicek invited by Society of Engineering Students to give a Lunch Lecture at the Aerospace Engineering Faculty, TU Delft, The Netherlands. 14 December 2020

The Moon Bar

Nelly-Ben Hayoun interviews Barbara Imhof as part of a non-stop multiperspective conversation for The University of the Underground Multiverse Programme. 7 Dec 2020

Digital Futures: Space Architecture

Barbara Imhof in conversation with Melodie Yashar, SEArch+; Madhu Thangavelu, USC; Enrico Dini, D-Shape and Valentia Sumini, MIT Media Lab as part of the Digital Futures series hosted by Tongji University, Shanghai. For the 10th Anniversary conversations will address the implications of Covid 19 for the future of architecture and urban design. Watch here. 14 […]

TEST.TUBE Lab 2: HABITAT

Barbara Imhof, Lucie Strecker, Barbis Ruder, Kerstin Bennier, Daniel Aschwanden, Thomas Jelinek amongst others developed and were actors in a collaborative habitat simulation and performance. Online & at the ODEON Spitzer, Vienna. 6 & 7 November 2020

Humans of Space

Barbara Imhof, Austrian Space Architect, Creator of Habitats & Designer in conversation with Dr. Niamh Shaw, a writer/performer, scientist and award-winning communicator with a mad passion for sharing space with the public. Listen here. 28 October 2020

Exploring the peripheries of outer space

RADIO ORANGE BROADCAST with artists and designers Joseph Popper and Sitraka Rakotoniaina who probe the materialisation of futures through public co-enquires. In this conversation we discuss how they have used outer space futures as narratives for artistic construction and practices of collective imagination. 19 OCT 2020

Outer Space Architecture Panel

StarDust Squad Online International Science Congress. Barbara Imhof speaks on the Outer Space Architecture panel with: Samer El-Sayary, Mars City Design Ambassador for the Middle East Olga Bannova, Director, SICSA Melodie Yashar, co-founder of Space Exploration Architecture (SEArch+) Xavier De Kastelier, Principal / Head of Design Technology and Innovation at Hassel Kriss J. Kennedy, Space […]

Stories about humans, machines and microbes

Co-Corporeality board member workshop to investigate the potential of narratives in architectural themes beyond the usual building project. Barbara Imhof moderates a series of presentations and a panel conversation with board members of the Co-Corporeality project. Presentations to be given by: Petra Gruber, Associate Professor, BRIC Core Faculty, Mary Schiller Myers School of Art and […]

Women in Space

IoT Tribe Space Endeavour Design Studios I ESA Phi-Week 11:30 – 13:30 CEST Moderated by Brendan Rowan • Clara Grigore, COO, Société Genérale • Barbara Imhof, CEO & Co-Founder, Liquifer • Ghizlaine Amrani, Co-Founder, QuantCube Technology • Skevi Perdikou, Co-Founder, Geofem 30 September 2020

How to reinvent your business models after COVID-19

Alongside prominent international space figures such as Jan Wörner, ESA Director General and Nick Appleyard, Head of Space Solutions at ESA, Barbara Imhof discusses how we can use space to improve life on Earth during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Replay of a discussion between European experts on how to reinvent your business model in […]

LIVING MACHINES

Growing Structures: Bioinspired Innovation Insights for Architectures and Robotics Barbara Imhof invited to speak about Space Architecture in relation to the workshop theme as part of the conference Living Machines 2020, 28 July 2020

ZERO GRAVITY

ERES Foundation, Munich, Germany. ZERO GRAVITY: Apollo 11 and the new notion of space, 20 July 2019 – 1 February 2020. LIQUIFER exhibiting video documentary and 3D-printed model by Bollinger + Grohmann from project RegoLight

MOON

LONGING, ART AND SCIENCE Natural History Museum (NHM), Vienna, Austria. OUR MOON: LONGING, ART AND SCIENCE, 30 October 2019 – 1 June 2020. LIQUIFER exhibiting a 3D-printed model of a sustainable moon base Image credit: Bruno Stubenrauch

Transcripts

Of An Architectural Journey Musings towards a new genre in [space] architecture Transcripts Of An Architectural Journey – Musings towards a new genre in [space] architecture Editors: Barbara Imhof and Susmita Mohanty Funded & Published by Austrian Chancellery of Art, 2005.

Getting There Being There

Volume 25: Getting There Being There  While the Earth needs our utmost attention more than ever, we cannot ignore the fact that the Moon is re-entering the popular imagination. Space travel is on the verge of becoming a tourist option, and a whole industry is working towards lunar settlement as intermediate step to probe deep […]

The Undivided Mind

2015 Delhi, India The Undivided Mind, Art & Science Residency, Khoj, International Artists’ Association 16–28 February 2015 City as a Spaceship, exploration topic probed by Barbara Imhof, Sue Fairburn, and Susmita Mohanty

Mars Simulation

2016 Rio Tinto, Spain Mars Mission Simulation 16-29 April 2016 Testing key technologies for project MOONWALK Included participants: Barbara Imhof, Waltraut Hoheneder, Bob Davenport, René Waclavicek

Moon Simulation

2016 Marseilles, France Lunar gravity Simulation – off-shore Marseilles 6-10 June 2016 Testing key technologies for project MOONWALK Included participants: Barbara Imhof, Waltraut Hoheneder

Mobiles in Mobile

2017 Antarctica Mobiles in Mobile – 1st Antarctic Biennale Expedition 17–28 March 2017Commissioned by Alexander Ponomarev, Curated by Nadim SammanIncluded participants: Barbara Imhof, Susmita Mohanty

Deep Sea Minding

2018 Hunga Tonga, Hunga Ha’apai, Tonga Islands, South Pacific Deep Sea Minding, Thyssen-Bornemisza Academy, The Current II Expedition #1 20 August – 4 September 2018Led by artists SUPERFLEXIncluded participants: Barbara Imhof Deep Sea Minding Podcast

BIORNAMETICS

WHAT IS THE ARCHITECT DOING IN THE JUNGLE? WHAT IS THE ARCHITECT DOING IN THE JUNGLE? BIORNAMETICS – Architecture defined by natural patterns Editors: Barbara Imhof, Petra Gruber Publisher: Springer, Series: Edition Angewandte, January 2013.

BUILT TO GROW

Blending Architecture and Biology BUILT TO GROW – Blending Architecture and Biology Editors:  Barbara Imhof, Petra GruberPublisher: Birkhäuser, Series: Edition Angewandte, November 2015.ISBN 978-3-0356-0920-2

SHEE

Executive Summary Self-Deployable Habitat for Extreme Environments (SHEE) – Executive Summary (2016) European Union – 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (EU-FP7), in the frame of Space

MOONWALK Comic Book

MOONWALK: the comic book (download) Editor: MOONWALK consortium, 2016 The project received funding from the Europen Union’s Seventh Framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 607346. Idea, story and comic design drawings: Waltraut Hoheneder, LIQUIFER Systems Group, Vienna Cover image: Barbara Imhof, Waltraut Hoheneder, LIQUIFER Systems Group, Vienna

MOONWALK

Executive Summary MOONWALK – Executive Summary (October 2016) European Union – 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (EU-FP7), in the frame of Space

EDEN ISS

Executive Summary EDEN ISS – Executive Summary (April 2019) European Union – Horizon 2020 (EU-H2020) project, topic of Space exploration / Life support

TRAILER

July 2019 – August 2021European Space Agency (ESA) project Trailer develops a novel architecture for the robotic cooperation between two rovers working in tandem in lunar surface exploration missions. The system is comprised of one agile and power-heavy rover TRACTOR, equipped with high-performance locomotion and navigation technology, a wireless transceiver, short-term energy storage, and sample […]

SynBio4Flav

Providing a path for the standardized production of flavonoids January 2019 – December 2022European Union – Horizon 2020 (EU-H2020), Industrial Leadership grant for R&D activities in the field of Biotechnology Using knowledge gained on the use of Synthetic Microbial Consortia (SMC) to perform targeted tasks in project Living Architecture(link), LIQUIFER Systems Group fabricates ceramic membranes […]

Co-Corporeality

responsive spaces in the era of biomediality May 2019 – April 2022 Austrian Science Fund (FWF) as part of PEEK 2018 cocorporeality.net Co-corporeality proposes new aesthetic and technological approaches for establishing interaction between a human and a living material in the creation of a responsive environment. The performative architecture that is created is able to […]

GATEWAY I-HAB

International Habitation module for the lunar orbital platform July 2018 – September 2019European Space Agency (ESA) Phase A/B study, under a subcontract to Airbus Bremen This Phase A-B1 study includes the design concept phase of the international habitation module (i-HAB), part of the GATEWAY Lunar Orbital Platform, a collaboration between ESA, NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, and […]

Living Architecture

metabolic apps for transforming our habitats from inert spaces into programmable sites April 2016 – June 2019European Union – Horizon 2020 (EU-H2020) research project, FET-Open Living Architecture is a next-generation, selectively-programmable bioreactor. It is envisioned as an integral component of human dwelling in the future, capable of extracting valuable resources from light, wastewater and air […]

Previous exhibitions (list)

Previous exhibitions (list) 2020 Austrian Cultural Forum, New York, New York, USA. RESIDENT ALIEN, 25 September 2019 – 17 February 2020. LIQUIFER exhibiting drawings, renderings and visualizations Natural History Museum (NHM), Vienna, Austria. OUR MOON: LONGING, ART AND SCIENCE, 30 October 2019 – 1 June 2020. LIQUIFER exhibiting a 3D-printed model of a sustainable moon […]

EDEN ISS

Ground Demonstration of Plant Cultivation Technologies and Operation in Spacefor Safe Food Production on-board the International Space Station (ISS) and Future Human Space Exploration Vehicles and Planetary Outposts March 2015 – February 2019European Union – Horizon 2020 (EU-H2020) project, topic of Space exploration / Life support A sustained human presence in space requires the development […]

URBAN

Conceiving a lunar base using 3D-printing technologies January 2018 – November 2018European Space Agency (ESA) general study  Logistics remains as one of the major constraints in long-term human space missions. Space agencies have shown great interest in the utilization of lunar resources as the next logical step in implementing a global strategy for human exploration […]

RegoLight

Sintering regolith with solar light November 2015 – April 2018European Union – Horizon 2020 (EU-H2020) project, topic of 3D-printing / Advancement of TRL Future human activity on the lunar surface will use 3D-printing to build infrastructure from lunar soil (regolith) using the sun as the only source of energy. Today this technology is considered disruptive, […]