Prefabrication experiments - 51- Shed Shelters in the Arctic (the Angirraq)

In recent years, arctic sovereignty has resurfaced as a political, economic and security concern. Increased military presence by Nordic nations induced by climate change and the prospect of a manoeuvrable passage has increased interest in the territory's position and resources. Since the late 19th century the arctic has been coveted by nations seeking to harvest its potential. The Arctic’s native cultures have been on the front lines of southern military, mining and territorial speculations.

For most, the Arctic is either completely unknown or a potential economic goldmine. Canadian author Farley Mowat’s literature compellingly illustrated the tension between climate, culture and southern influence. The issue of housing became central to this tension and was exacerbated as the government took responsibility for the Inuit in Canada at the beginning of the 20^th century.

Global conflicts further pressured development in the North as the American military sought to establish a presence and a «distant early warning line» to protect against potential soviet attacks from the North. During the cold war many military outposts were colonised increasing the friction between southern sedentary culture and the Inuit transient lifestyle.  

Many of the housing experiments or habitable boxes shipped north to improve housing conditions demonstrate the discord between north and south as they ignored cultural needs, lifestyle and most surprisingly climate.

The government subsidized House types that were shipped in modules or kits. All shared southern building techniques and materials and considered ease of assembly and transport as the two primary criteria for design. The Angirraq shelter was a small simple 16 foot by 24 foot «kit of parts» structure of stressed skin modular panels. The stressed skin panels built form standard two by four framing were covered in plywood and packed with Glass fibre insulation. 

The sandwich construction was neither vented nor protected against condensation or air infiltration. The simple volume with a shed roof and large overhangs was proposed to contrast the traditional pitched roofs associated with the prefabricated imported systems. The modular system of panels for walls and roofs optimized transport and repetitive production allowing no on-site changes, customization, and little consideration for the needs of the Inuit hunter/gatherer.

This type of experiment illustrates the type of prefabrication that was synonymous with northern colonization that seemed to disregard the necessary cultural significance of housing strategies.

 from Low Cost Prefabrication in Arctic Houses : http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic19-2-192.pdf