Space Week runs from the 4th to the 10th of October. This year, the chosen theme is “,” exploring humanity’s journey toward making space a habitat, focusing on innovative technologies, challenges, and efforts that make this vision a reality.
For this week's Alumni Spotlight, we spoke to a graduate of UL's School of Architecture and Product Design, who was far ahead of her time. Orla Punch's innovative final year project explored these exact themes almost 10 years ago.
From being mentored by Dr Norah Patten, Astronaut and Aeronautical Engineer, to working on a feasibility project with NASA, Orla's academic and professional career has spanned many exciting space projects.
Now working at Foster + Partners, as an Associate Partner and Designer, Orla reflects on how her time in UL helped prepare her for interstellar career opportunities.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I grew up in County Limerick where I spent most of my life. I went to Laurel Hill Coláiste Secondary School and then onto the ɫƵ to study Architecture. I moved abroad following graduating to pursue a Masters and I then began my career working in the United States.
Why did you choose to study Architecture ɫƵ?
During secondary school, I attended the UL open days. At the School of Architecture and Product Design there is a very large spectrum of learning styles as part of the architectural design process.
For example, from history and theory to technical drawing, critical thinking, presentation and communication skills, 3D building software, to making physical models, environmental studies, to human scale understanding.
There is also a mix of both international and Irish lecturers, which gives a broad perspective and world view.
What did you enjoy most about the course?
Lifelong friendships were built in the architecture studio on campus. I enjoyed the process of learning through experimentation and the multidisciplinary variety that the course offered; each semester was different.
Can you tell me about your FYP/thesis ɫƵ? How does it link to your career path so far?
My final year thesis is very much related to my work today. During the final year, the School of Architecture gave us the freedom to select our own thesis subject matter.
I was always interested in human space exploration, I linked this with architecture as fundamentally humans cannot survive beyond Earth without some kind of habitation system or ‘home”. I found this interesting from a psychological point of view, but also from a materiality and environmental sustainability perspective – what would building on another planet look like, what would the construction materials be…could structures span further due to lesser gravity?
These became the questions of my final year thesis, where I explored what the Vernacular Architecture of Mars might be using the planet’s local materials.
During final year, the lecturers at SAUL also encouraged me to find an external advisor who had experience in the space field. Dr Norah Patten, International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (“IIAS”) Astronaut and Aeronautical Engineer, was doing her PhD in UL at the time and acted as an advisor. She encouraged me to continue pursuing space architecture and introduced me to the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.
After completing my Master of Science there, I had the opportunity to work at the European Astronaut Centre’s SpaceShip EAC initiative in Cologne, Germany, on a Lunar Analogue Facility Flexible Habitat concept.
Since then, I have been able to continue these design principles in my career at Foster + Partners, where I work as an Associate Partner and Designer.
Whether that is working on a feasibility project with NASA and our Specialist Modeling Group on the Lunar surface using novel materials, or on a high-rise office tower construction in San Francisco, such as the Transamerica Pyramid redevelopment, which was completed towards the end of 2024.
Foster + Partners also recently exhibited our Space Architecture portfolio at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC titled ‘From Earth to Space and Back’; it showcases the huge benefit and link between designing for projects in extreme locations such as Mars or the Lunar surface, and how they push us to design more sustainably here on Earth.
How did your studies prepare you for entering the workplace upon graduating?
During the 5-year course, we were encouraged to take a year out to gain professional experience and work in an architectural practice. I found this exposure helpful in understanding the industry as a profession.
What advice would you offer to students considering studying Architecture at third level, and what career pathways can they expect?
It can be hard to know what to study for a career path, with an architectural degree there are many other creative opportunities out there beyond following the traditional architectural route.