British design and architecture powerhouse Foster + Partners has unveiled a striking new vision for off-Earth living: a 165-foot (50-meter) 3D-printed lunar skyscraper, engineered specifically for deployment at the Moon’s South Pole. Developed in collaboration with NASA and advanced manufacturing firm Branch Technology, the project signals a bold leap toward permanent human presence beyond Earth—and sets the stage for future Martian colonization.

The concept is more than just science fiction come to life. It’s a meticulously engineered structure tailored to survive and thrive in one of the harshest environments imaginable. Key to its feasibility is the use of in situ resources—namely, lunar regolith, the dust and rock found on the Moon’s surface—which would be transformed into durable construction material via 3D printing. This innovation addresses one of the most significant bottlenecks in space infrastructure: the prohibitive cost and complexity of hauling building materials from Earth.

Foster + Partners’ design is anchored by a spiraling tower capable of supporting essential power and communication systems. A set of expansive, fold-out solar panels—integral to the structure—will capture and store solar energy, ensuring self-sustaining power generation for lunar operations. The vertical form factor not only maximizes solar exposure in the Moon’s polar regions but also minimizes surface disruption, an increasingly important consideration in extraterrestrial architecture.

What sets this concept apart is its emphasis on autonomy. The structure is designed to be constructed by robotic systems with minimal human intervention, aligning with NASA’s broader ambitions to scale infrastructure development in space ahead of crewed missions. The initiative dovetails with the agency’s Artemis program, which aims to establish a long-term lunar presence as a springboard to Mars.

Prototype tower

“This is not just a visionary piece of architecture; it’s a prototype for how we might build sustainably and autonomously on other celestial bodies,” said a Foster + Partners spokesperson. “Our collaboration with NASA and Branch Technology represents a major step forward in developing practical solutions for space habitation.”

Currently, a detailed scale model of the lunar tower is on display at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., as part of the “From Earth to Space and Back” exhibition, offering the public a closer look at what could soon become a landmark on the Moon.

Foster + Partners is no stranger to space architecture. The firm has previously worked with the European Space Agency on lunar habitat concepts, and its latest venture further cements its role at the forefront of space-enabled design thinking. As the global space race pivots from exploration to colonization, the intersection of cutting-edge architecture, robotics, and planetary science will be pivotal—and Foster + Partners appears poised to shape that future, one printed layer at a time.