Authors: Francesco Grugni, Marco Voltolina, Stefano Zanoletti*
Our team has recently participated to the 2021 "Unbelievable Challenge", an open architectural ideas competition proposed by Ruukki, a Finnish company that produces metal components and systems for buildings.
The competition called for the design of a museum about snow and climate change, located in Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, in northern Finland. Below, you can find some images and a description of the project that we have submitted.
"In the age of climate change, we believe architecture should encourage people to discover the beauty of Nature. We propose a museum that lives in symbiosis with the environment: a museum dedicated not only to snow, but to the whole landscape of Rovaniemi.
A tall landmark rises above the waters of the wide Kemijoki river, establishing a dialogue with the town and its church. Right next to it, a lower platform with a public terrace allows visitors to enjoy enchanting views. Besides the river, the building is surrounded by trees. Existing vegetation is preserved as much as possible, while parking areas are kept to a minimum and positioned at a certain distance from the museum. Thanks to the large windows on each floor, the foliage of the trees becomes a background for the exhibitions, blurring the distinction between interior and exterior. Such distinction completely disappears in the main exhibition hall: here, the large glass dome that covers the space can be partially opened during winter, letting it snow inside the museum, and welcoming northern lights that fill the air with iridescent shades.
The project rediscovers ancestral archetypal images, such as the hexagonal pattern of snowflakes, and the goahti, a peculiar kind of traditional Sami dwelling. At the same time, the building features innovative construction techniques, based on the principle of reversibility, and sustainable materials. A bridge is thus formed between past and future: old and new ideas become inextricably connected as humanity dreams of a new harmony with Nature."
Figure 1. Plan of a typical floor of the museum and the surrounding context - CC BY-NC 2.5
Figure 2. Elevation drawings - CC BY-NC 2.5
Figure 3. Conceptual section of the building: letting it snow inside the museum - CC BY-NC 2.5
Figure 4. The relationship between the new museum and the Rovaniemi church - CC BY-NC 2.5
Figure 5. The shape of the building is inspired by the geometrical pattern of snowflakes and the profile of traditional Sami dwellings - CC BY-NC 2.5
Figure 6. Technical details of the facade, made with Ruukki products.
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* Stefano Zanoletti, 25 years, from Ponte di Legno (Italy), is an architect focused on the topics of resilience and sustainability. He has graduated in Architecture and Urban Design at the Polytechnic University of Milan with a thesis about post-earthquake reconstruction. He has a passion for mountains and natural landscapes.
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