Architectural Competitions

OBA 2012 - Aurora Borealis Arctic Observatory

Register: 15.05.2012 / Submit: 31.05.2012

Homo sapiens have been evolving for approximately 2.5 million years. During that time, our species has gone through a long series of drastic changes, but our planet, our home, has stayed largely the same.

From the beginning, Man has been fascinated by earth’s mysteries. What makes a fire burn? What lies awake at the bottom of the ocean? Which mountain peaks reach highest to the heavens? Which cave plunges deepest to the center of the earth? In an effort to answer these questions, to take one step closer to the truth, our ancestors have not only sacrificed their time and energy, but also their lives.

We have created belief systems and religions. We have scoured the earth from every angle with our tools of science. All in an effort to understand our world, to understand why things happen the way they do; this inherent curiosity, this exploratory drive, is embedded, for better or worse, in each and every one of us.

And through all this effort and examination, we have found many answers, many fascinating truths about our race and our planet that we would have never believed possible. But with every answer found, there is another question that forms itself, there is another mystery waiting to be solved. No matter how deep we dig and how much we discover, our planet will remain a fascinating and intriguing place that will never cease to amaze us.

For many generations, the Northern Lights were one of nature’s greatest mysteries. Why did the sky turn green and yellow and purple in various regions of the earth, at specific times of the year, while other places, other skies, remained entirely unchanged? There have been numerous theories to explain this phenomenon, including the simple theory that the gods were responsible. More complicated theories included two holes, one in the north pole, one in the south pole, that shot light out from the center of the earth; yet another theory suggested a great war amongst the planets and the stars, being fought between legendary warriors that had earned their place in the night sky as a posthumous reward for courage and valor in their earthly battles.

Our explanation has changed over time. It is believed in our modern era that the Northern Lights are caused by a chemical reaction between solar winds, oxygen, and nitrogen that gets set off at very low temperatures. But even with a hard-tested, scientific explanation for the Northern Lights, the phenomenon doesn’t amaze us any less. Flocks of people still congregate around the Northern Lights to experience their mystery firsthand, to witness the miracle of nature, if only for a few nights, to breathe in the magical effect of the Northern Lights, to absorb the power and mystique that has drawn Man’s attention from their first blazing incarnation in the arctic sky.

Proposal

At ArchMedium we would like to propose a project that will help us rediscover our primitive instincts. We want to create a bond again with Mother Nature. We want to reestablish the ancient connection between Man and the glories of His planet. This is an experience that too frequently eludes us in our contemporary, urban lifestyles.

OBA 2012 - Aurora Borealis Arctic Observatory

OBA 2012 - Aurora Borealis Arctic Observatory

What we want to create is a Northern Lights observatory located in one of the most extreme latitudes inhabited by Man, surrounded by lush, endless forests and nature in its purest form. A place where one can retreat for a few days to completely disconnect from the daily routine and plunge headfirst into a world of observation, relaxation, and learning.

The site

Rovaniemi is the ideal location for such a project. Located in the icy curls of the Arctic Circle, this capital of the Finnish Lapland is not only the final stop north on the Finnish railway system, but is also the supposed hometown of Santa Claus! And best of all…the Northern Lights are visible in Rovaniemi up to 200 nights per year.

Jury:

The Jury will be formed by:

- President of the jury: Josep Llinás
- Architect: Pere Joan Ravetllat
- Architect: Mara Partida
- Architect: Celia Marín
- Invited Architect from Helsinki: Philip Tidwell

Prizes:

- 5000 Euros in Chash
- Publication of the project in the TC Cuadernos magazine and WA+wettbewerbeaktuell.
- 1 year subscription to the ON Diseño magazine.
- Exhibition at the Architecture University of Barcelona (ETSAB) and the Aalto University of Helsinki.

Competition website: en.archmedium.com

ARCHITRAVEL ALL OVER THE WORLD