It’s 50 years since humans last set foot on the moon’s surface. Now, there is an initiative to take us back, and the idea is to make the move permanent. Concept images for an inflatable “Moon Village” have been released by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) – the engineer, and designer of the project’s master plan – in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The concept images above are for the first full-time human habitat on the lunar surface. According to the design partner, Colin Koop, “The project presents a completely new challenge for the field of architectural design.” As part of the challenge of sustaining human life in an otherwise uninhabitable setting, the designers and engineers need to consider factors such as radiation protection and how to provide breathable air.