What does the new ___ look like? (SPOILERS)

[The Super Brando]

What do you imagine the new DS9 looks like? I'm having a hard time picturing it based on the description in Raise the Dawn.

Is there any artwork out there depicting it, or is there any planned to come out in the near future?

 

[F. King Daniel]

I'm certain the official design will be on the cover of the next DRG3 DS9 book next year.

While not 100% consistent with the description in Raise the Dawn (it needs a central sphere), I'd be more than happy if they used Mojomoe's version:

Here's the fanart thread, with a few more fan versions:
http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=192700

 

[Patrick O'Brien]

Looks cool! Thanks for the art

 

[The Super Brando]

I'm certain the official design will be on the cover of the next DRG3 DS9 book next year.

While not 100% consistent with the description in Raise the Dawn (it needs a central sphere), I'd be more than happy if they used Mojomoe's version:

Here's the fanart thread, with a few more fan versions:
http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=192700

Woah those are awesome.

 

[Christopher]

It's a nice design, but it's very far from what was described in the book:

Despite the radical design, it shared many characteristics with other Starfleet facilities: the gray-white surface of its hull, the curves and proportions of its components, the familiar lettering along one arc that read UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS. The overall, esentially spherical shape of the station, though, reminded Ro of it's predecessor. The new facility would ultimately comprise three rings, oriented at right angles to one another. They would all surround an inner sphere, connecting to it via a half-dozen crossover bridges. The rings would provide docking and cargo services, while the sphere would house work, commercial and residential sections.

So first off, it should have a Starfleet design aesthetic, not the "alien" sort of look seen there. And there are six crossover bridges, presumably connecting to the points where the three mutually perpendicular rings cross -- essentially, one pair each along the X, Y, and Z axes. So basically like a big gyroscope-shaped Starfleet base. The only design in that fan art thread that matches the description at all is the one by Patrickivan.

 

[DS9forever]

I wonder if the new station will have a bigger crew and civilian complement; DS9 wasn't a massive station.

 

[JD]

Isn't DRGIII's The Fall novel, a DS9 story? If so, I'm assuming we'll learn a lot more about the new station there.

 

[Ian Keldon]

Isn't it on the cover of the recent novel? It's a Utopia Planetia style station.

 

[The Super Brando]

It's a nice design, but it's very far from what was described in the book:

Despite the radical design, it shared many characteristics with other Starfleet facilities: the gray-white surface of its hull, the curves and proportions of its components, the familiar lettering along one arc that read UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS. The overall, esentially spherical shape of the station, though, reminded Ro of it's predecessor. The new facility would ultimately comprise three rings, oriented at right angles to one another. They would all surround an inner sphere, connecting to it via a half-dozen crossover bridges. The rings would provide docking and cargo services, while the sphere would house work, commercial and residential sections.

So first off, it should have a Starfleet design aesthetic, not the "alien" sort of look seen there. And there are six crossover bridges, presumably connecting to the points where the three mutually perpendicular rings cross -- essentially, one pair each along the X, Y, and Z axes. So basically like a big gyroscope-shaped Starfleet base. The only design in that fan art thread that matches the description at all is the one by Patrickivan.

The description says it reminds Ro of it's predecessor. The above fulfills that and the other descriptions, except it's just two pylons shy.

Plus it looks cool. The gyroscope looks boring and lame to me. Wouldn't the sphere in the center be much smaller, which would then look closer to the original DS9?

 

[Ian Keldon]

^that one doesn't even look Starfleet to me

 

[Mage]

Isn't it on the cover of the recent novel? It's a Utopia Planetia style station.

No, in the book itself it was made clear that that was like a construction site, something to use as a base from which they could build the station. I mean, all those workers need to live somewhere.

 

[Christopher]

Wouldn't the sphere in the center be much smaller, which would then look closer to the original DS9?

I didn't say that artwork got it exactly right, just that it was the only one that didn't ignore the description. Obviously it was a very rough illustration, not a final design, so I don't know why you're taking it literally.

 

[The Super Brando]

I guess I'm thinking the design should look like a Federation version of the original DS9, and not completely abandon the DS9 aesthetic. Like the Federation built a newer better DS9.

And I think that's what the description in Raise the Dawn was trying the accomplish. At least, I hope.

 

[Gotham Central]

It's a nice design, but it's very far from what was described in the book:

Despite the radical design, it shared many characteristics with other Starfleet facilities: the gray-white surface of its hull, the curves and proportions of its components, the familiar lettering along one arc that read UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS. The overall, esentially spherical shape of the station, though, reminded Ro of it's predecessor. The new facility would ultimately comprise three rings, oriented at right angles to one another. They would all surround an inner sphere, connecting to it via a half-dozen crossover bridges. The rings would provide docking and cargo services, while the sphere would house work, commercial and residential sections.

So first off, it should have a Starfleet design aesthetic, not the "alien" sort of look seen there. And there are six crossover bridges, presumably connecting to the points where the three mutually perpendicular rings cross -- essentially, one pair each along the X, Y, and Z axes. So basically like a big gyroscope-shaped Starfleet base. The only design in that fan art thread that matches the description at all is the one by Patrickivan.

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that the description creates a station that would look an awful lot like the Xindi planet killer weapon?

 

[Christopher]

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that the description creates a station that would look an awful lot like the Xindi planet killer weapon?

I don't think that's the case. As others have pointed out, the proportions of the central sphere to the outer rings would probably be less like Patrickivan's rough sketch and more like the original station.

 

[Spike730]

Why would Starfleet build a new station resembling the old Cardassian design? Makes zero sense to me.

 

[Kertrats47]

Why would Starfleet build a new station resembling the old Cardassian design? Makes zero sense to me.

To be fair, the design team was led by O'Brien and Nog if memory serves.

 

[Christopher]

There's also the form-follows-function argument. If you want a station that serves the same purposes and has the same functionality (aside from the whole mining/slave-driving aspect), it stands to reason that there would be some structural similarities.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

I assume the new station is intended to be a tribute to the old one as well as a replacement for it. It's a memorial of sorts, but also a continuation rather than an unrelated construct, hence why they gave it the old name, I guess. So I'd assume that they're keeping some of the old design features in honour of the historic Terok Nor/Deep Space Nine that everyone's familiar with. Let the old station live on in spirit. Plus, for all that the first station was originally the seat of occupation, it was a massively important part of Bajor's history and a unique "landmark" for the Bajoran system. I suppose they'd want to be careful and not be seen as sweeping that history away by making the new DS9 "just another Federation mushroom".

Nowadays, pleasing the Cardassians might be just as important as pleasing the Bajorans. The Cardassian Union is the Federation's ally, and according to Akaar the Federation is taking that alliance very seriously. Maybe they want to incorporate a degree of Cardassian-inspired architecture into the new station rather than be seen as sweeping away the imprint of Cardassian identity?

 

[Gotham Central]

I assume the new station is intended to be a tribute to the old one as well as a replacement for it. It's a memorial of sorts, but also a continuation rather than an unrelated construct, hence why they gave it the old name, I guess. So I'd assume that they're keeping some of the old design features in honour of the historic Terok Nor/Deep Space Nine that everyone's familiar with. Let the old station live on in spirit. Plus, for all that the first station was originally the seat of occupation, it was a massively important part of Bajor's history and a unique "landmark" for the Bajoran system. I suppose they'd want to be careful and not be seen as sweeping that history away by making the new DS9 "just another Federation mushroom".

Nowadays, pleasing the Cardassians might be just as important as pleasing the Bajorans. The Cardassian Union is the Federation's ally, and according to Akaar the Federation is taking that alliance very seriously. Maybe they want to incorporate a degree of Cardassian-inspired architecture into the new station rather than be seen as sweeping away the imprint of Cardassian identity?

That would make little sense from the Federation's perspective. Why would they build a station effectively honoring the Cardassians for a port in Bajoran space? The Bajorans put up with the station when it served their interests but it was always a reminder of the occupation. If the Federation were smart they would have put a Bajoran in charge of the design team.