BERING STRAIT

04

Facts: The arctic tundra is a mosaic of many different land-forms and plant communities and contains ground features not found in warmer regions. The arctic is so cold that the ground beneath the tundra surface remains frozen all year. This permanently frozen ground is called permafrost. The soil in the permafrost area remains colder than 0 degrees Celsius all year round. In the summer months, during which the sun shines 24 hours a day, the surface of the tundra warms up and the top few layers of soil thaw to approx. ½ meter. This melted part above the permafrost is called the active layer. Plant roots grow within the active layer and insects burrow here.

Many believe the ground plains in these regions to be flat and featureless but that is a misconception. The permafrost and the overall properties of the climate create the following landscape features:

Pingos – a hill created when water pools and freezes under the root mat. When the water freezes, it expands, pushing up the soil. (mounds)

Thermokarsts – an arctic lake formed when water holds heat that thaws the permafrost below

Polygons – a pattern on the surface of frozen ground formed above ice wedges

Ice wedges - a buildup of ice in frozen soil, that is wedge-shaped in cross-section

Concept:The central zone of the island is dedicated to the ECO-park, which is divided into 3 different types of habitats – wetland, flowering meadow, grassland (terrestrial habitat.) The level of humidity in the soil at these areas differ greatly and hence allow for a wide variety of species to co-exist.

Our ECO-park is meant to replicate the ecosystems that are native to this region, therefore allowing the visitor to experience all the different elements that make up the tundra landscape.

One experiences the ups and downs of the pingos while wandering along a path that is at times above, below or at the same level as the surrounding terrain. There are a series of polygon shaped intrusions into the ground below creating Terrariums and allowing light into the museum below. There is a constant play between the interior spaces of the museum and the exterior space at the park level therefore maximizing comfort and expo-sure.

At the highest point of the park one enters the building at the museum restaurant/bar with breathtaking views of the diomedes and a meal to finish off a long hike through the plains.

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site plan - ECOpark

ground formation detail

ECO - park

terrariumdeep shape cut in ground allowing light to enter building below

polygonshallow sunken form in gorund

main pathmoves back and forth between +22:00 and 00:00

scissor cut through parkcuts made through landscapecreating transitions bet. interior & exterior

existing landscapes

a. grassland

b. flowering meadows

c. wetlands

o1

o2

o3

main path

wet

average

dry

+22:00 hrstart

end

0:00 hr

o1 we t landwet

arctic moss(calliergon)

caribou moss(cladonia)also known as lichen

cotton grass(eriphorum)

rock formations lingonberry(vaccinium vitusidaea)

crowberry(empetrum)

alpine arnica(asteraceae)

bearberry(arctostaphylos)

tufted saxifrage(saxifraga)

arctic poppy(papver radicatum)

o2 f lower ing meadowaverage

tundra grass(dupontia)

arctic bluegrass(poa)

fireweed(epilobium)

o3 g rass landdry

alpine foxtail(alopecurus)

permafrost

active layer

concrete path

tundra grass