Dorte Mandrup realized the Inuit cultural center in Canada

Teaser image source: MIR / Dorte Mandrup

A 5,500 square meter center dedicated to Inuit culture is to be built in Iqaluit, Canada. Based on a design by Danish architect Torte Mandrup, the building is being built in the country’s northern Nunavut territory.

Source: MIR / Dorte Mandrup

Visualization: This is what the Nunavut Inuit Heritage Center (NIHC) in Iqaluit should one day look like.

The Nunavut Inuit Heritage Center (NIHC) is designed to reflect not only Inuit culture, but the Canadian government’s commitment to the Nunavut Treaty and the UNDRIP Act to respect and recognize the human rights of Indigenous peoples. It came into effect in 2021.

Bridge between generations

NIHC is said to build a bridge between generations On the Inuit Heritage Trust (IHT) website Who leads the planning process for the project? The legacy of colonialism and the marginalization of Inuit culture, values and traditions have left many Inuit eager to reconnect with their common past and strengthen their sense of identity and culture.

A new cultural center is to be built in Nunavut, its capital, Iqaluit, a region in northern Canada where the Inuit live have special rights. It is bordered by the Northwest Territories to the west, Greenland to the east, and the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec to the south.

NIHC aims to connect Inuit with their ancestors and non-Inuit through objects and stories. In addition to the so-called Nunavut Collection, the center will also host exhibitions, programs, workshops and other events. It will also serve as a launching point for other centers in the Nunavut territories.

Exhibit Nunavut Inuit Heritage Center Dorte Mandrup

Source: MIR / Dorte Mandrup

Visualization: The building should get natural protection by using rock. The large roof continues the lines of the landscape and creates an observation deck from which visitors can take in views of Frobisher Bay and Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park.

Dorde won the Mandrup competition

The architectural competition for the cultural center has now been decided, the Inuit Heritage Trust (IHT) announced on Monday. Danish architect Torte Mandrup won. The winning proposal will have convinced the jury with its “beautiful and poetic response” to the requirements.

Mandrup understands traditional Inuit knowledge and the community’s perspective on NIHC’s “healing potential.” The architect’s reference to his design was particularly well-received, with the reference to the “caludogonic,” the wind carving out shapes and forms in snowdrifts.

There was also praise for the way the center was embedded in the landscape, which the Inuit intended to symbolize their way: the building sits under a green roof, so it looks like it’s growing out of a mountain. Integrates with surroundings.

Inspired by snow and wind

In the statement, the Danish architect explains the vision behind his design: “The Nunavut Inuit Heritage Center is inspired by the landscape and the movement of snow and wind.” The building follows the landscape curves and pronounced longitudinal features of the landscape and parallels the local north-westerly winds.

Following the contours of the landscape, the large rooftop also serves as a public viewing platform offering unobstructed views of Frobisher Bay and Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park.

Source: Dorte Mandrup

Visualization: According to Torte Mantrup, his design is inspired by the landscape and the movement of snow and wind.

By using the rock on site for construction, it creates a natural preserve for special exhibitions and exhibitions of objects from the centre’s own collection. A generous south-west facing window front provides an impressive view of the surroundings and daylight inside.

The connection between thoughts and forms

The architect is delighted with the commission: “This is an extraordinary project and we are very proud to have been chosen to work on it.” Working in this environment requires a high degree of sensitivity and consideration for the landscape and its cultural significance.

“The Inuit community has long worked tirelessly to collect their precious heritage and pass on their unique expertise, which is so important to future generations and is in danger of disappearing.” Mandrup says one looks forward to listening, learning and being the link between thought and form.