In Nature

The project is about the new way how human beings engage with the landscape in Arctic area, which is an extremely fragile area. Svalbard is a long history island being used by human beings due to the abundant mining resource. At the same time, this brought an old and unfriendly way for people engaging with the landscape here.

So the site chosen is an abandoned mining stop which currently existing with a big cave and several old architectural footprints. Instead of constructing a completely new building, a series of surgical land intervention are performed on the existing gentle topography and existing mining footprint. The sinuous profile of the rooftop corresponds with the ground topography horizontally framing the trees and the surround spaces. Openings on roof are placed to drive light and arctic sky color to pass down.

Through preserving the topography and landscape, and adding simple elements of architecture, architecture here seeks to introduce new atmosphere and encourage new human engagement in fragiel Arctic area. Not only show the idea of preservation related to the past, but also introduce a new way for human beings to engage with nature in Svalbard.