The frozen Red and Assiniboine Rivers create one of Canada's most unique public spaces. Reflective of the spirit inherent in this environment, the landscape is given by an act of nature, and lasts only for a season. The frozen site acts as a giant social collector, gathering ail types and ages of people from across & around Win¬nipeg to enjoy one of Canada's most cherished winter pastimes.
Our proposai was inspired in part by the great history of Canada, from its past to its present. The form recalls the structures of the First Nations that used similarhuts for homes. The form is iconic, and a familiar presence on the central plains of Manitoba. The tripartite nature of our scheme celebrates the diversity of the Canadian people by creating a whole bigger than the parts.
The design of our hut uses cost effective construction of simple materials (wood & fabric) and can be prefab-ricated to allow for 3 identical huts to be built in lieu of one and joined together to create a new expression of the warming hut. A double layer of recycled, wind-proof fabric washes the inside with a soft diffused light. The dark exterior fabric, with optional velcro-closing doors, creates a strong barrier to the elements and uses the radiant energy of the sun to naturally warm the space.
Visitors to the hut are welcomed from three directions, inviting people into a shared central space. The central gathering space allows for chance meetings, a place to reflect, and shelter from the wind and cold. Skaters sit comfortably on felt-lined benches and share sto¬ries of the river, the landscape, and their impressions of the hut. The space is large enough to accommodate a group of people and is configured to protect skaters from the elements, while still allowing framed views onto the frozen landscape, recognizing and respecting the beauty of this winter land, and creating a warm place to gather.
(From competitor's text)
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