As a landscape architect, I remain fascinated by how our work merges art, science, nature and technology to improve the spaces where people live, work and recreate. But as we stand at the dawn of what I call The Interplanetary Age, it is becoming clear that our profession may need to redefine itself. While this future has only just begun, many estimates suggest that the Interplanetary Age will drive human advancement for the foreseeable future. This future is upon us now. If we want to ensure landscape architecture remains relevant, now is the time to start preparing. Without a plan, our profession could find itself left behind as humanity moves toward a future that will stretch across the cosmos.
Many of you reading this might discount it's importance as irrelevant, unimportant or outright fantasy. But I would argue that it is never too soon to begin planning for the future. After all, is that not we are all about...planning? So hear me out and just consider what I am saying.
Right now NASA and private commercial interests like Space X and Blue Origin, are making huge advancements in space travel with plans for a moon base within five years and a Mars base within ten years.
Artificial Intelligence is accelerating technology, innovation and design at an exponential rate. Over10,000 Cryptocurrencies currently exist, fundamentally changing the established monetary economy. And the advancements in technology are occurring at a staggering rate. Innovations in quantum computing, automation & robotics, communication, material science & nano-technology, energy & battery tech, biotechnology & medicine are all outpacing our ability to even comprehend!
Estimates show that Moon bases may be established within ten years. Mars exploration and human occupation within 20 years. The future is upon us, whether we like it or not! We are in a new age, the Interplanetary Age.
The Interplanetary Age: A Century-Long Shift
To me the Interplanetary Age refers to the era in which humanity moves beyond Earth, setting up colonies and establishing commerce between man-made environments (Space Stations), planets, moons, and asteroids. While these efforts are still in their infancy, space agencies, private companies, and governments are already making strides toward this future. And while the first wave of settlers may seem a long way off, consider that these pioneers have already been born. The long-term trajectory of human civilization points to a future where space travel and off-world living will become part of many peoples everyday lives.
Barring human stupidity, civil unrest or global war, this will happen in the coming decades.
Experts believe that this dawning Interplanetary Age could drive innovation and societal shifts for centuries to come. It’s not only about surviving on other planets—it’s about thriving and building a new way of human life. As landscape architects, we have always been focused on shaping human environments on Earth, but this long-term expansion offers both a challenge and an opportunity to extend our reach and remain relevant as this future unfolds.
Landscape Architecture Today: Where We Stand
Our profession is currently grounded in Earth-bound projects, and for good reason. From designing sustainable urban spaces to creating public parks and residential gardens, we’ve expanded our role to things like shaping urban environments, promoting green infrastructure, and developing climate-resilient solutions. But as we look ahead to the possibilities of the Interplanetary Age, we must ask ourselves: "Will we be prepared to contribute to human life beyond Earth?"
Without forward-thinking consideration and realistic planning, the unique skills we bring to the table today may not have a place in this future. I would argue that as landscape architects we should spend less time on trendy, social justice nonsense, self-aggrandizement, 'anal-gazing' and 'virtue signaling' and spend a bit more time thinking about our future and being the pragmatic problem solvers that can lead humanity into the future! Our students today will be on the forefront of this change, we should prepare them.
Preparing for the Interplanetary Age: Ensuring Long-Term Relevance
While the next century or two of human development may seem distant, landscape architects must begin positioning the profession and themselves for this shift now. If we do not start considering how we fit into the context of space exploration and colonization, we risk falling behind. After all, this is already happening.
With this in mind, here is how I believe we can start preparing for a future that will span the next hundreds of years:
Forge Early Partnerships with Space and Engineering Industries: Collaboration with engineers, scientists, and habitat designers working on space-related projects should begin now. By getting involved in the conversation early, we can better understand the environmental and technical challenges of this new age. Whether it’s Mars’ thin atmosphere, the Moon’s lack of water, micro-gravity, or the challenges of autonomous habitats, these are considerations we will need to account for when designing livable environments in the future.
Adopt Emerging Technologies with a Long-Term View: Technologies like 3D printing, AI, and virtual modeling are transforming the way we design Earth-based projects, but they are also laying the foundation for future off-world environments. By embracing these innovations now, we ensure that we will be well-positioned to apply our skills to space habitats when the time comes. These tools will be critical in designing functional, beautiful spaces for the next wave of human civilization—whether on Earth or beyond.
Lead in Sustainability for Space: Landscape architects have long been champions of sustainability and resource management on Earth, and these skills will be indispensable as humans establish self-sustaining colonies on other planets or space-based habitats. Closed-loop systems for recycling water, air, and waste will be essential, and we are uniquely positioned to design these systems with both functionality and human experience in mind. We should start exploring how our sustainability practices can evolve to meet the needs of these environments as humanity expands it's reach.
Design for Human Well-Being in Extraterrestrial Environments: Human beings have an innate need to connect with nature, and that will not disappear as we move further away from Earth. In fact, as we settle our solar system and other planets, the psychological and emotional need for “green” environments will likely become more pronounced. Landscape architects are skilled in creating spaces that promote mental, physical, and psychological well-being. We can apply these skills to design extraterrestrial parks, virtual gardens, or enclosed green spaces that provide respite in harsh, alien landscapes. By considering human experience in the design of habitats and environments, we ensure that we will remain relevant for future generations.
A Call to Action: And a Plan for the Future
The Interplanetary Age has only just begun, but its impact will be felt for centuries. As landscape architects, we need to start thinking now about how we will remain relevant in a world where humanity is no longer confined to Earth. While we may not be designing for space today, the foundations for off-world living are being laid, and without a plan for how our profession fits into this future, we risk becoming forgotten or relegated to becoming simple garden designers.
We cannot wait until the moment that we are needed to start preparing. It’s essential to begin exploring how our skills can evolve and adapt to the challenges of the Interplanetary Age. Whether it’s through collaborating with space-related industries, embracing emerging technologies, or expanding our understanding of sustainability in micro-gravity environments, we must begin the process now. This isn’t just about keeping pace with technological change; it’s about ensuring that our profession thrives as humanity advances over the next 100+ years.
I would suggest that the ASLA or other concerned professional practitioners establish a simple working group that might anticipate, develop a plan for, and position the landscape architecture profession for the future. This group could craft a framework for the future of the profession as a whole by researching emerging technologies and reaching out to the pioneers in these emerging technologies. By doing so we could introduce our value and secure our place in this future that is inevitable.
To my fellow landscape architects, the time to act is now. Start learning about space exploration, familiarize yourself with new technologies, and imagine how you can contribute to the design of human settlements and environments beyond Earth. If we plan carefully and embrace this new frontier, we will have the opportunity to shape living habitats and contribute in a very real way to the future of humanity while establishing ourselves as the environmental engineers that will be needed in the centuries to come.
~ Eric