dorte mandrup's sensuous installation takes visitors of the venice biennale to an arctic extreme

venice architecture biennale 2018: ahead of the forthcoming icefjord center in greenland, danish architect dorte mandrup presents conditions, an installation underlining the harsh extremities and historical significance influencing the project. presented as part of the main exhibition of the venice biennale, visitors are invited to experience mandrup’s interpretation of the extreme conditions that define the unique arctic climate.

all images courtesy of dorte mandrup architects, unless stated otherwise

mandrup invites visitors of the venice biennale to experience the unique elements found in greenlandic nature. the 200 square meter installation features an abstract 1:12 model of the icefjord center located within an immersive light and sound installation. outside a smaller model is on display, as well as a video tour of a structural render outlining the various sections of the building.

image © designboom

floating lightly above the landscape, the site’s vast expanses are covered in snow most of the year, appearing as blankets of endless white space. there the winds reach extreme speeds and the temperature drops far below zero. the exhibit is a testimonial to these conditions, mirroring the experience of natural daylight and sometimes lack thereof. in the background the rare sounds of glaciers calving and the icebergs breaking off can be heard, demonstrating nature’s extreme forces.

image © designboom

the icefjord center will be located at one of the world’s most active glaciers in ilulissat on the western coast of greenland 250 km from the arctic circle. the area, which was appointed to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites in 2004, has been a gathering point for climate scientists and heads of states who wish to give attention to climate change. as a result of global warming, over recent years the icefjord has continually withdrawn several kilometers.

image © designboom

‘this is a project that deals with the most extreme challenges imaginable in terms of climate’, state the biennales curators, irish architects yvonne farrell and shelley mcnamara. ‘it is also a highly charged building in terms of its ambition and function. the historic significance of the location where ‘the inuit people and europeans (norse) met’, combined with the making of a habitable place for social interaction within the ‘superpower of nature’ has produced a project robust enough to sit lightly on the earth and to exert a singularly poetic presence.’

image © designboom

designboom’s coverage of the 2018 venice architecture biennale is in partnership with leading energy company edison. edison is taking part in the 16th international architecture exhibition of la biennale di venezia by initiating a path towards sustainability and the efficient use of resources. the collaboration between edison and la biennale is based on awareness that energy is one of the fundamental elements of architecture and of the places, spaces and cities of contemporary life.