Research and architecture studio AI Space Factory has designed a 3D-printed house for the surface of Mars – and it looks like a beehive.

Dubbed the Marsha Project, the vertical dwelling was dreamt up for NASA’s 3D Printed Habitat Challenge and has been endorsed by the agency.

The participants of the competition were faced with the task of creating the layout of the building from those materials that can be found on Mars. AI SpaceFactory has printed its model from a biodegradable and recyclable biopolymer basalt composite. The composition has been tested for strength and tightness with smoke and heavy loads. As a prize, the agency received from NASA $ 500 thousand.

NASA launched the 3D Printed Habitat Challenge project in 2015 to develop eco-friendly housing for long-term space missions.

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