DesignBuild: Architecture for Resilience in Northern Climate Zones

About the course

Holmön is an island in the Baltic Sea of Västerbotten just 10 km off the coast North of Umeå's river delta and is exposed to severe fluctuations in inhabitant numbers between winter and summer. Consequently, the island serves as an example for rural communities that are challenged regarding year-round resource availability and the provision of services existential to enabling a sustainable community development. Working closely with the local community, we will develop proposals focusing on the building scale in response. By increasing self-sufficiency regarding water, energy and food production and promoting the use of local and/or recycled building materials, projects are designed in support of enabling sustainable year-round living for all. 

The summer course provides a hands-on experience of a designbuild project and insights into decentralized infrastructure through nature-based solutions. Starting from the initial conceptual design work, the designs are translated into detailed drawings and finally built at scale 1:1. Material and architectural aspects of the proposed structures will be evaluated according to their contribution to enabling a higher degree of self-sufficiency for their inhabitants. 

The course consists of two phases - the design phase (June) and the construction phase (August). The design phase takes place at Umeå School of Architecture. The construction phase will take place on Holmön island. 

The designbuild project also serves as a small-scale demonstrator for the Interreg Aurora Northern Peripheries and Arctic program Bauhaus Goes North aiming to strengthen the capacity for climate change adaptation, and resource sufficiency in NPA communities by promoting the transition to a circular and resource-efficient economy. 

The course is given full-time in weeks 24-25 and 32-34.