The last few weeks have been brutally cold for us here on the East Coast, and even wearing our scarves and sweaters indoors hasn’t helped. The dreary bit of  good news—it could be much worse! Though it feels as if our office is made of ice, perhaps it would be better if it actually were. Our Arctic-dwelling Inuit friends have thrived on northern ice plates for thousands of years, in shelters made entirely of packed snow, where temperatures inside can reach into the mid-60s Fahrenheit! A new book, Igloo: Contemporary Vernacular Architecture by Alejandro Bahamon and Ana Canizares, charts the history and development of vernacular ice structures and their translation into contemporary architecture.

We’ve pulled some examples from the book, plus a few of our own choosing to bring you today’s snow-packed roundup. So pull on your fingerless gloves, and click through for the photos!

Photo: Koji Fujii / Nacasa & Partners

Hoto Fudo
Yamanashi, Japan
Designed by Takeshi Hosaka Architects
Learn more about this project in the Architizer database here.

Photo: Kengo Kuma and Associates

Tea Haus
Frankfurt, Germany
Designed by Kengo Kuma and Associates
Learn more about this project here.

Photo: via MyModernMet

Igloo Village
Kakslauttanen, Finland
Learn more about this project in the Architizer blog here.

Photo: dmvA Architecten

Blob vB3
Kemzeke, Belgium
Designed by dmvA Architecten
Learn more about this project in the Architizer database here.

Photo: Samyn and Partners

Forestry Department of Wallonia
Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium
Designed by Philippe Samyn and Partners

Photo via  Paul Andreu

National Grand Theater of China
Beijing, China
Designed by Paul Andreu

Photo: Cayambe

Honestino Guimaraes National Museum 
Brasília, Brazil
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer

by Peter Levins

posted in Identities

tagged Arctic, capsule, cold, contemporary, Dome, Eskimo, hut, ice, Igloo, inuit, Isolation, Pod, snow, vernacular, White, winter

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