‘The Sky Commodified’ studies the astro-industry in the Atacama Desert using three lenses each engaging a different scale. The immediate scale investigates the physical building, the architecture typology of the observatory and drawing on its rich historical lineage of form and experience. The infrastructural scale analyse the growth of astro-tourism in the Atacama region, from the local indigenous entrepreneurs and sky-guides, to the foreign observatory hotels, to the international megaprojects such as ALMA. The meta scale explores data-mining and astronomy as a global industry engaged by the tech sector.
MIT Department of Architecture Workshop - Chile, Summer 2019
Team: Maya Shopova, Romea Muryń
Film crew: Diego Cabezas, Dubi Cano Reyes, Francisco Lobo
MIT students: Aaron Powers, Dijana Milenov, Gary Zhexi Zhang, Kevin Marblestone, Jaya Alba Eyzaguirre, and Prathima Muniyappa
Sound artists: Eric Maltz, Nicolás Kisic Aguirre, Nicole L'Huillier
Status: Premiered at the 2019 Architecture film Festival Rotterdam
Team: Maya Shopova, Romea Muryń
Film crew: Diego Cabezas, Dubi Cano Reyes, Francisco Lobo
MIT students: Aaron Powers, Dijana Milenov, Gary Zhexi Zhang, Kevin Marblestone, Jaya Alba Eyzaguirre, and Prathima Muniyappa
Sound artists: Eric Maltz, Nicolás Kisic Aguirre, Nicole L'Huillier
Status: Premiered at the 2019 Architecture film Festival Rotterdam