Vocational School of Justice
'MISSION: MARS!'
Young architects of Izmir University of Economics (IUE) are building Mars. After NASA reported that geological features resembling those on Earth suggest Mars was once a wet and hospitable planet, the future architects developed designs for the first human colonists to travel to Mars in 2024. 102 students, who got inspired by various plants and animals such as pinecone, dragonfly, snail, etc., prepared architectural designs for the first colonists, and delivered their presentations via virtual reality in “Mission Mars 2024” titled workshop.
Ekrem Demirtaş, President of IUE Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Can Muğan, IUE Rector, Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar, IUE Vice Rector, Prof. Dr. Ender Yazgan Bulgun, Dean of IUE Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, and academicians viewed the architectural designs of students. President Ekrem Demirtaş reminded that people started to book their flights to Mars already, and he said, “There is a need for a place to take shelter in. As I said it last year, Mars will be built by IUE students. What I have seen here today just consolidated my belief further”.
‘Steam education’
President Demirtaş pointed that the most beautiful colonies on Mars would definitely be established by IUE architects, and said that all disciplines worked together in the new education system. “Our basic goal is for all disciplines to work together and succeed. We will adopt this new trend called steam. This trend will be used at Izmir University of Economics Science and Technology Campus. Aerospace Engineers, industrial engineers, in addition to architects, will work together,” said Demirtaş. He also said that 2024 was the target for the first colonists to transport to Mars, and they hoped that the first colonists would be traveling in the satellite built by IUE students.
‘Geographical and climatological conditions of Mars’
Workshop Coordinator Asst. Prof. Dr. Burkay Pasin, Lecturer, IUE Department of Architecture, reported that sophomore students of Department of Architecture attended the workshop led by Asst. Prof. Dr. Güzden Varinlioğlu, and Lecturers Hugh Clarke, Özgür Genca, Ayşe Bozkurt Karal, Filiz Keyder Özkan, and Lale Başarır. Pasin said, “102 of our students got inspired by various plants and animals and established their colonies. Prof. Dr. Serdar Bayari from Hacettepe University, Department of Geological Engineering gave a lecture on the geography and climate of Mars. Master Architect Müge Halıcı also provided technical support through training course on digital design methods. Students used digital modeling tools and came up with innovative ideas on life styles and creating spaces for the near future”.