MARS!

What if we didn’t leave Mars settlement to the ultra-wealthy, but instead approached it as a collective, democratic project? What would we do if we could start over?

In 2026, we travel to Mars together to save Earth. The concept exhibition MARS! presents the outcomes and ideas developed in five prototype workshops, showing that the requirements for settling Mars and those for living on a climate-altered Earth are not so far apart. The exhibition features five prototypes created in collaboration with citizen scientists from the Red Dust Society, focusing on habitat, mental health, food, governance, and resource management. Visitors are invited to actively shape the exhibition and contribute their own ideas – because all the skills we need for a democratic Mars settlement are equally essential here on Earth to build resilient societies.

In the project MARS! – Mobilizing Awareness for Resilient Societies! – ZKM | Hertzlab, as the futuristic department of ZKM, has undertaken precisely this thought experiment. Rather than being left behind on a burning planet and looking on as the wealthy leave towards redder pastures, we have turned Mars into a project for all of us. In five prototype workshops, scientists and citizen scientists – working together as the “Red Dust Society” – have explored and co-designed what a Mars settlement could look like. Over the course of the project, we notice that all the skills we would need to survive on Mars are also needed here on Earth to prepare for the consequences of climate change. And so, in the end, we travel to Mars to save Earth—equipped with the knowledge and tools we need to begin building a better society today.
 

The five prototypes

Habitat

What does a MARS! habitat look like? A habitat capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions is not only essential for survival on Mars. In the face of increasing climate extremes on Earth – from heatwaves to floods—resilient forms of housing are equally in demand here. The prototype presents innovative approaches to modular, adaptable architectures that can function both on the red planet and in climate-stressed regions on Earth. Your idea is missing from our collection? Sketch and describe your ideal Mars habitat as part of the exhibition.

Mental Health

Overcoming loneliness not only on foreign planets: The psychological demands of a Mars mission – isolation, confined spaces, and the absence of a natural environment – mirror issues that already affect many people on Earth today. The prototype develops strategies and systems for mental health support that are relevant both for astronauts and for people living in dense urban environments or isolated communities Can robots and machines help us cope with stress and feelings of loneliness? Try it out in the exhibition.

Food

If cows don't fly to Mars, what will we eat instead? On a planet without an atmosphere, water, or fertile soil, food production must be reimagined from the ground up. The prototype explores sustainable food systems that operate with minimal resources – approaches that are urgently needed on Earth as well, in the face of climate change, water scarcity, and a growing global population. At a future banquet, we sampled alternative protein sources ranging from algae to insects, and learned what the human body actually needs to survive.

Governance

Would it be worthwhile to export capitalism to the red planet? A settlement on Mars would offer the opportunity to rethink social orders: How can we organize communities that continue to function under pressure? What kinds of decision-making structures do we need for a just society? The prototype developed alternative governance models that place democratic participation and equitable resource distribution at their core – principles that are also fundamental to building resilient societies on Earth.

Resource Management

Clean water is not a given everywhere on Earth. How should we address water shortages? On Mars, a recycling system that makes optimal use of resources is not an option, but a matter of survival. The prototype demonstrates closed-loop systems in which every drop of water and every material counts. These technologies and practices serve as models for a circular economy that will also become essential on an Earth facing dwindling resources and increasing ecological pressure.

Participation encouraged

This exhibition is not a closed presentation behind glass, but an open platform. You are warmly invited to test the prototypes, comment on them, and contribute your own ideas. Because MARS! is a project for all of us – and the future we are building together begins here and now.