when the earth is red

two placed far apart

an architectural response to the northern crisis

2014 masters studio

with geneviève leclerc

Aupaluk, Nunavik is part of the housing and social crisis that has marked many northern Canadian communities, but with the arrival of multinational companies to develop Quebec’s natural resources both money and attention are being focused in the area. An opportunity we hope to exploit in favor of the communities.

As with any crisis, the immediate needs of the community are a priority. Due to the depth of the social problems in the area we propose a project to help solve specifically the root dependency crisis through educational and exploratory spaces. Focusing efforts on the in-between spaces to both animate the area and allow new prototypes to be tested while directly involving the residents of the community. The catalyst being a community meeting and learning space and the output a variety of satellite platforms.

By incorporating more traditional Inuit theory and encouraging opportunities for residents to learn, create and participate, a community anchored in active education will materialize and an urban fabric will take form as a playground. Finally embracing northern-life and giving power to those who live it may cause the shift needed to help residents begin to create their own solutions, and end a crippling crisis.