Modularity

Building a city on the moon will bring many surprises, most of them unpleasant. This makes it essential to integrate construction feasibility into the design process. Insights into past project successes and failures, compiled by economic geographer Bent Flyvbjerg, are particularly useful here.

In examining major projects with low risks of cost overruns or time delays, we find solar power at the top, with an average cost overrun of only 1%. Wind power follows at 13%, while nuclear storage ranks lowest with a staggering 238%.

This isn’t only about renewable energy. The Olympic Games (157%) and hydroelectric dams (71%) are also not immune. Even large IT projects face a 73% cost overrun. While this may seem modest compared to nuclear storage, it’s crucial to note that, although only 18% of IT projects exceed a 50% overrun, those that do average a massive 447%—20% more than nuclear storage. When IT projects go bad, they go really bad.

What sets the lucky few apart is modularity. Rather than aiming for a single monolithic project, building with repeatable modules allows for ongoing improvement, knowledge transfer, and, in some cases, immediate usability.

Solar power is inherently modular, with solar cells as the fundamental building blocks. By connecting multiple cells on a panel, we instantly generate electricity. Wiring panels together creates an array, and with enough repetitions, we have a vast solar farm. Much of the work happens in a factory, optimized for repeatable processes and insulated from delays that often disrupt on-site projects. This reduces the time window for “black swan” events. Past technologies don’t have to be discarded but can be refined. The latest developments in nuclear energy lie in the aptly named Small Modular Reactors (SMR).

Since Lunyra’s focus is on buildings, let’s revisit the numbers. With a 62% mean cost overrun, and a 206% overrun for the 39% of building projects that fail, the outlook is not very optimistic. Although some argue that modularization in architecture would undo all aesthetic aspects, most terraced houses today have only one redeeming feature: once you’re inside, you don’t have to look at them.

But once upon a time, in the early 20th century, Americans could order complete factory-built homes from a Sears Modern Homes catalog, delivered as kits with IKEA-like assembly instructions on a grand scale. Notably, these homes were beautiful, with many still standing 110 years later, valued for their quality construction and classic design.

More recently, Danny Forster designed Manhattan’s largest modular hotel. Each room in the Marriott was factory-built in Poland, complete with furniture. Meanwhile, a different and more famous Forster, designed Apple Park in Cupertino. Tim Cook viewed the construction process as manufacturing project, doing as much as possible outside before “putting together the Legos.”

The difference between cheap, unattractive modular construction and Forster-level quality is imagination and technology. Lunyra aims to achieve the latter while still leaving room for one of a kind, high risk endeavours.

Lunyra Library

What is the best way to store knowledge, and what is the best way to make it accessible? Most contemporaries would answer these questions with the phrase “make it digital.” In fact, nations like Sweden have changed their education system to make use of this technology, trading books for tablets. During the Covid pandemic, the whole world was forced to go even further by staying at home. What has been called the future of schooling turned out to have backfired. Apart from myopia and deficient social skills in the case of remote work, even the minor Swedish changes significantly dropped the skill levels of students over the last decade¹. This led the Scandinavian nation to reintroduce the printed form. With fewer distractions, haptic feedback, and the ability to make sketches, the future doesn’t look so futuristic after all. But what if you could reinvent this age-old technology?

Before there were books, papyrus rolls were the most reliable information storage technique. In fact, one could argue that their design is even more intuitive than the book. If folded out, and if the ancients only wrote on one side, these objects have a singular surface to them in which all the information can be connected². It is not possible in a physical book to have all pages open at the same time, which may lead to unnecessary effort when having to connect the dots. The design principle of WYSIATI (What you see is all there is) is broken. But is this a bad thing?

Even though the book itself is fragmented in its presentation, if viewed as a single information source, determined by the object and position in physical space, similar to single letters, a new meaning is created. The trained reader doesn’t read single letters but whole words or even phrases. That is why, as long as the first and last letters stay in their position, the remaining ones can be mixed wildly: “Tihs sweoh the adtaplbaiity of our bairns.”³

The story might also continue after the last page as human civilization continues to create new writing, building on the ones that came before.

These insights should give us ideas on how to arrange the content within Lunyra Library.

While it is impossible to present the sum of all knowledge or even to find an objective rating system for which books are included, we aim to offer visitors the most intuitive grasp of the most important texts ever written. Going from the library's point of view to the reader's, it is also impossible for them to read 1% of what we offer⁴. But they can get a grasp of how industrious Shakespeare has been by taking a walk to his shelf and reading a random passage. Or, if they want to be more specific, using the Lunyra application on their virtual lens to quickly search for “Shakespeare passages in which a main character is killed.” Dots appear on the found content with lines leading to it. Once the book is taken out, an arrow is displayed on the edge, easily guiding the budding playwright to the dramatic passages. Because Shakespeare uses words that are unfamiliar to non-English literature students, our app features the LookUp function. Simply holding the finger below the word “Puissance” will display the meaning “Power or might” with an example sentence that is contextually relevant.⁵

The physicality separates the book and the roll from digital devices, which have to simulate their abstract content in single stills. Instead of turning the page, which keeps both pages in the reader's hand, a digital device replaces one page with the other, breaking the spatial consistency. It also makes a real library more interesting than a digital one.

If the book is superior to all other forms of text storage when it comes to humans, libraries should reflect their importance and enhance the joy of reading. The Lunyra Library aims at doing that with five points.

1. The Building
Like a plant bearing fruit in soil, the Lunyra Library's shape is purposefully unfinished, suggesting growth. It is made up of two circles, one slightly larger than the other, that are joined together, creating an amoeboid shape. A visitor walks from the smaller circle, which features the lounge, to the main hall and various other rooms in the large circle. One giant glass dome at the top of the building creates an open space that is used for cultural events. The dome also includes a small museum by the Lunyra City Archive that features a directory of every mayor of the city and the property directory. Key events of the city's development are displayed in a visual form.

2. Standardized Books
All books inside the Lunyra Library fall into three sizes: A5, A4, and A3. Using a new material for binding, our books combine the lightness of paperbacks with the durability of hardcovers.

A problem for standardization concerns the practice of making the page count the important factor in the book overview. While useful for navigating the text, it distorts the true length and complexity of the content. Books use different font sizes, line spacing, and indents. When translated to a different language, the page count is not uniform, as words like “beaucoup” take longer to write than “very.”⁵ Even more distortion occurs once the text is digitized and the reader chooses a different sized font. We, therefore, propose counting the characters of each book and simplifying them. By using a standard A5 paper with 12 pt text and regular spaces as a reference for one sage, astronomical character counts are avoided.

A children's book with 200 pages and a lot of illustrations could have the same sage count as a short novella with 50 pages—approximately 45 sages. Because visual information also takes time to process, sage counts are usually avoided for art books and graphic novels.

These counts are especially useful when switching from the printed form to the digital one. On the devices, it is possible to change the font by switching between 0.5, 1, 1.5, or 2 sages. The sage count stays consistent and is indicated by a bar whose size is dependent on the book's length.

3. Closeness vs. Distance
The Lunyra Library provides both enhanced concentration when being surrounded by other silent visitors in the main hall and the ability to communicate in the lounge to attend events or chat with people walking by. The lounge has a vast collection of international magazines and a coffee shop to stir up the conversations. Furthermore, next to the main hall, there are project rooms, separated with a glass door and only accessible to single teams working on a project of their choice. These rooms can be rented months in advance or, if one is lucky, spontaneously. For visitors who need to communicate with people abroad, work rooms are available. With the Lunyra app, it is possible to order books to one's room. The automated sorting system is made up of humanoid robots and invisible conveyor belts.

Because reading over long periods of time is straining to the eyes and sitting in a completely sterile environment can be disheartening, most places inside the Library should offer a view of the distance in which natural movements can be observed. These natural movements can be as simple as the movement of the sun through large windows or the flow of a stream that connects different parts of the library. However, they should not be distracting, which is why fast or eye-catching elements are to be avoided.

4. Living Authors
By placing a book on the round table in the author's room, a hologram of the author will appear in front of you. She will answer your questions concerning the book and her life's work. The AI model is trained by questions the author received over several weeks from our library staff. Authors may repeat the examination every five years, making it possible for people to choose between an author at different stages in her life. By creating the AI models at the same time for various authors, comparisons about current events, which might become historic events, are much more concrete. Apart from the five-year circles, short examinations are also done when new works are published, and the memory of the writing process is still fresh. These models are merged with the nearest long examination if views have not changed significantly.

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¹See PISA study.

²If the ancient wrote on both sides, a Möbius strip and at least two mirrors would be necessary.

³As long as the words are not too long and commonly used. "Tihs dmeonrstaets humnakidns sohpitsacdoeh cgiotivne cpalbitiiaes." requires more effort.

⁴Although advanced life extension technologies might change that.

“Cousin, go draw our puissance together” King John

⁵While taking the same time to speak, making the French language inefficient but more esthétique.

Glossary

Exo Intelligence
Exo Intelligence encompasses both Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Organoid Intelligence (OI), a groundbreaking fusion of digital and biological processing. The symbiotic collaboration between AI and OI is crucial for powering self-sufficient machines that operate across various environments. When combined with Human Intelligence (HI), this trio forms a powerful network, driving scientific innovation and enabling significant breakthroughs in technology, engineering, and space exploration.

The integration of Exo Intelligence systems ensures that machines in Lunyra not only function autonomously but also adapt and evolve, reflecting the cutting edge of intelligence-driven design.

Food System
In Lunyra City, Permanent Residencies are seamlessly connected to advanced food production and delivery systems designed to meet daily nutritional needs. Essential items like bread, milk, and rice are transported directly to homes via a network of tubes. Refrigerators are capable of automatic replenishment, and the food is delivered in compact spheres for convenience. Thanks to the short travel time and heat-preserving properties of these spheres, certain hot meals can also be sent directly to residents, ready to eat upon arrival.

In addition to home delivery, Lunyra boasts a vibrant culinary scene with food machines and restaurants scattered throughout the city. Many of these offer Michelin-star-quality dishes, freshly prepared by cooking robots. The city prioritizes sustainability, with most dishes served in biodegradable packaging. Some meals are even designed to be edible themselves, crafted from nutrient-rich, health-boosting materials like thin algae. Persian salt blocks are a common feature in Lunyra’s cuisine, enhancing flavor and elevating the dining experience.

Living Architecture
Living Architecture refers to dynamic structures that behave like living organisms, adapting and evolving over time. These buildings incorporate elements that can shift for both functional and aesthetic purposes. For instance, solar panels may adjust their angles to follow the sun, while glass facades undulate, creating waves that ebb and flow across the surface. This fluidity in design is a hallmark of Lunyra City, where most buildings feature some form of motion.

To prevent sensory overload, however, the rate at which these features shift is carefully controlled, ensuring a balance between innovation and comfort.

The concept of Living Architecture extends to interiors as well. Maximizing space, rooms can transform based on need. For example, a living room may seamlessly transition into a bedroom at night, with a sofa folding into a bed as a wall shifts to provide privacy. This design ensures efficient use of space, allowing one area to serve multiple purposes throughout the day.

Lunyra Park
Lunyra Park forms the vibrant heart of the city, where nature and infrastructure blend seamlessly. The park features gourmet gardens, sports facilities, and the city’s only lake, offering a serene oasis amid the futuristic landscape. The lush abundance of plant life contributes to a unique microclimate, creating a cooler, more refreshing atmosphere for residents and visitors alike.

One of the park’s highlights is a parkour trail leading to an observation deck, where visitors can take advantage of the Moon’s lower gravity for enhanced jumps and agility. For a more leisurely adventure, visitors can explore the park aboard a "Hiker"—a spider-like vehicle capable of scaling 90-degree walls. Thanks to its advanced gyroscope, the Hiker keeps the driver stable, making for a thrilling yet smooth ride through the park's diverse terrain.

Non-Permanent Residencies (NPR)
Non-Permanent Residencies (NPR) are mobile, small-scale homes located in designated zones on the periphery of Lunyra City. These homes can relocate based on the fees paid by their occupants, offering flexibility and mobility. Ideal for frequent travelers, free spirits, or budget-conscious university students, NPRs function autonomously, much like self-driving cars. The closer an NPR is stationed to the city center, the higher the associated parking fees.

Most residents of NPRs do not own these units. Instead, they are part of a city initiative aimed at providing affordable housing options. This system ensures that individuals with varying needs and lifestyles can access housing that moves with them, creating a dynamic living experience within Lunyra’s ever-evolving urban landscape.

Seven Wonders of Moon and Mars
The Seven Wonders of Moon and Mars are culturally iconic monuments, each unique to its planet. These structures are built over extended periods, involving collaboration with the world’s greatest architects and the development of breakthrough technologies never before utilized. Each Wonder serves as more than a symbolic masterpiece; they are practical spaces that house libraries, museums, and open areas designed to foster community and public engagement.

These Wonders also play a pivotal role in scientific advancement, hosting research collaborations between government, academia, and the public. Their multipurpose nature strengthens the social fabric of the city, promoting knowledge exchange and cultural enrichment.

Only one Wonder can exist per city, strategically positioned at the city’s center. It acts as an anchor point for the city’s monocentric urban planning, making it a focal point for both practical use and cultural significance.

Singular Aesthetic Object (SAO)
The Singular Aesthetic Object (SAO) is a framework for evaluating the aesthetic and functional appeal of human-made objects, from buildings and gadgets to consumer products. An SAO is designed to be both visually appealing and functionally clear, achieving a balance of simplicity, symmetry, and purpose.

An SAO is defined by the following characteristics:

• Clarity of Purpose: The object is easy to understand because it has one clear primary use. Additional uses are acceptable as long as they do not cause confusion or detract from the main function.

• Symmetry and Proportions: The object is visually harmonious, with balanced symmetry and pleasing proportions.

• WYSIATI Approach: The "What You See Is All There Is" principle ensures that no additional elements are needed for the object to appear complete in its base form. There are no unnecessary parts cluttering its design.

• Reduced Complexity: The object’s design eliminates all visible components that do not add significant value to the experience. Its complexity can be measured by the length of the shortest possible description of how the object works.

Using the SAO framework, one can evaluate any man-made object on a scale from 1 to 100, with the option to improve its design if resources allow. Objects like skateboards and pocket watches typically score high under the SAO criteria, as they remain functional and aesthetically pleasing even without external elements like a user. Conversely, items like rollerblades and traditional wristwatches, which may become unstable or unusable without a user, could be redesigned to fit SAO principles—such as making rollerblades retractable or using magnetic wrist technology for watches.

This method of evaluation is not limited to mechanical objects. Everyday products, like the Pringles box, can also be improved under the SAO framework. For instance, while the Pringles box is iconic and clearly communicates its purpose, its design falls short in terms of user experience. A person may struggle to retrieve the last few chips, often getting their hand stuck inside the narrow cylinder, resulting in greasy fingers.

A better design could include a transparent line on the back to indicate how many chips remain, along with an integrated dispenser that releases one chip at a time with the press of a button. This would allow users to easily serve the chips onto a plate or even eat them with chopsticks, keeping their fingers clean.

Fuel for Innovation

The Industrial Revolution set in motion an unprecedented technological and scientific progress that swept from the western world all around the globe. Although initially opposed by the aristocratic elite due to a creative destruction that threatened their extractive and uninnovative economies, as well as some of the working class, whose ideological members in the present are still revered to as Luddites, it made living conditions overall better for humans.

It was also the first energy revolution that made men independent from the natural environments and their physical strength. Turning night into day and replacing horses with horse power, the modern period can be thought of as a gradual refinement of what is possible in the realm of science.

Two interesting developments have happened simultaneously. For the last centuries, the energy consumption of every individual has risen by 3% per year. At the same time, the efficiency has drastically increased. Light bulbs are a better cost-benefit calculation than candles and even complex endeavours such as commercial flights, could be reduced from 400 litres of fuel per passenger in 1970 to 90 litres in 2020.

It should be mentioned, that the 3% increase takes the efficiency advancements into account. Therefore every 25 years, the human energy consumption doubles. While it is possible at the present moment to produce all of the worlds energy in a clean way by covering the state of Nevada with solar panels, in 200 years, the whole surface of the earth would be required to prevent a rationing of resources,

At Lunyra, we believe that stagnation is not an option and that growth spurs innovation in creative and commercial endeavours. In order to overcome the energy crisis and give every generation more possibilities than the last, it is necessary to move beyond our known territory and into space. The trip to humanities second home moon only takes three days at the time of this writing and it offers more than meets the eye.

Not known during the times of the Apollo missions was that the poles, where no sunlight falls, contain water in the form of ice. Through electrolysis, this can be dissected into hydrogen and oxygen and become the fuel for innovation. Resources can also be brought into space at a much lower cost. Because the moon has one sixth of the earths gravity, it takes 24 times less energy to lift a kilo, making moon the perfect launch pad for further space travel.

Progress is not a natural occurrence set forth by one technology but it requires constant agency and inspiration. As the Industrial Revolution rewarded inventors who benefitted the masses, so does the moon in the 21st century offer a grey canvas to all artists of innovation.

The vision at Lunyra is to turn moon not just into a survivable but a prosperous planet that is culturally and economically rich. Through the creation of unique architecture and vehicles, unbound by the necessities of weather protection and enhanced by lower gravity, we will create model cities that take infrastructure and governance into account.

Our mission starts now.