First presented by Canada at the 2014 Venice Biennale for Architecture, the exhibition “Arctic Adaptations: Nunavut at 15” opened last week at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, marking the start of its national tour. The show celebrates the 15th anniversary of Nunavut—Canada’s northernmost and newest territory (it separated from the Northwest Territories in 1999) and explores its distinct architectural character.
Photography, topographical maps, and scale models carved by Inuit artisans examine the relationship between the 33,000 people of Nunavut and the climate and geography of the land, most of which is situated above the treeline in the Arctic Circle. Though the environment is harsh and fluctuates wildly between seasons, the Inuit people have inhabited the region for millennia, building structures that adapt to their surroundings. Today, new constructions blend Inuit traditions with modernist designs, creating a unique architectural aesthetic.
The exhibition also presents models of proposed architecture that represent the territory’s future. Five teams, each composed of students or members of a Canadian school of architecture, a Canadian architecture firm, and a Nunavut-based organization, designed a structure for one of the following categories: housing, health, education, arts, and recreation.
Through May 3 at Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba; wag.ca
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