Magazine
DHD
GALACTIC SUITE
(Italy)
GALACTIC SUITE
The year 2012 will see the inauguration of the Galactic Suite,a holiday proposal in a orbiting resort, 450 km above the world’s surface. It is an ambitious project and thanks to the use of new technology with a low environmental impact and reduced costs, will present the first, highly-emotional step towards the full-scale, deliberate development of space travel.
The Space Tourist Company, founded in Barcelona by architect Xavier Claramunt, conceived a new method of tourism, that will revolutionize technology, experiences and schools of thought associated with hospitality. The Galactic Suite is a program that involves an 18-week training session to ensure that travelers enjoy their unique trip safely and to the full: approximately 48 hours’ travel in a space ship and four days’ residence in the Space Resort, 450 kilometers above the earth. It is an innovative travel proposal which will cost 3 million Euro per person. And bookings have already been taken from tourists all over the world. The idea was developed by a prestigious team of experts, assisted by unprecedented economic and productive power. The project involves the construction of a space port, the first commercial structure of its kind, and will welcome and train the tourists in addition to providing a series of informative and recreational services that are open to the public. A luxurious structure of 100,000 sq.m. created on a Caribbean island and split into four functional zones, was devised to guarantee maximum comfort for the guests; there are a number of infrastructures dedicated to culture and leisure activities, in full respect of the indigenous fauna and flora. The accommodation consists of 200 independent
bedrooms positioned along the beach with a large central unit; the buildings are inspired by flower vases, with semi-basement sections designed to maximize passive climatic adaptation for the guests. The leisure facilities and the information zones have been built on a cliff to the south of the island and resemble a large skylight bathed in sunlight, that culminates in a panoramic terrace that overlooks the activities of the Space Port. The training area, complete with gravity-free centrifuges, swimming-pools and fitness centers, has been created on a plot of raised ground to symbolically embrace the technical zone, the throbbing heart of the entire structure which opens onto the landing strip and the space ship service docks. An extraordinary scenario dominated by Maglev, original sustainable technology that exploits magnetic power to launch craft to 100 km above the earth on a suspended cable, which drastically cuts the costs of the trip. The guests will be transferred to the hotel by a special space craft, which is still at the drawing-board stage. It can contain a maximum of four tourists and two crew members. Special seating can be adjusted to suit the guests, guaranteeing maximum comfort even when the speed reaches 28,000 km/hour and allowing them to appreciate in full the initial gravity-free experience. The visit to the Space Resort begins with docking and a check-up of the life support systems, followed by an activation phase. The hotel is equipped with a maintenance system inspired by the mountain refuge shelters with optimization of the resources which will be transported on each journey with the guests. The simple structure has been split into five areas and achieves the perfect balance between the necessary technology and optimization of the spaces, enclosed by sensual curved walls reminiscent of a gentle hillside landscape. The service module, which provides gravity-free catering and consents official communication with Earth, echoes a leisure area designed to allow the guests the possibility of experimenting with the body’s reaction in space. Complete with First Aid and amenity services, this area guarantees unforgettable experiences thanks to a series of equipment dedicated to wellness such as bicycles and treadmills and even a Spa where 20-liter globules of water float in the air. The living modules, three in all, have been designed as private quarters where the guests can relax, read, keep in contact with family and friends and tap-in to information on the hotel’s travel speed, the stars that are visible to the naked eye and on our own planet earth. The walls have been lined with a material that was inspired by the Velcro strips; this allows the guests to sit-down or sleep, ensuring a warm feeling of familiarity. However, the best feature of the hotel is the Eye, a large window that has been installed in each module to provide wonderful oneiric views into space. The Space Resort will orbit around the world every 80 minutes, meaning that the guests will be able to observe 15 dawns and dusks in a single day. The dialogue with the outside is extraordinary and thanks to numerous information systems included in the program, it inspires deep reflection on the meaning of life itself and on the entire history of humanity and its future. An intimate yet immense presentation that is the fitting high-point of a trip that takes guests outside their bodies but also expands their minds.