Many Norths: Spatial Practice in a Polar Territory

Existence in the Arctic has been formed through the interplay of various pressures that have acted together to enable survival against extreme conditions. Canada’s North demonstrates a history of innovation and adaptation,
coupled with numerous infrastructure systems that have come about in enabling unique solutions in a northern context. Our many norths represent an intersection of numerous competing relationships – architecture, infrastructure, culture and geography - that all register a spatial expression on the northern landscape. How to better understand this complex region and envision futures that reconcile development with traditional living patterns and fragile ecosystems will be amongst the key questions of the 21st century.
Many Norths argues for an expanded understanding of context as catalysts for architecture, landscape and urban design, through an interrogation across geographic scales, so that Arctic settlements might respond more directly to the exigencies of climate and geography, as well as ever-increasing global pressures.