“Archiving the Invisible” is a multistep architectural project that reflects on the impact of global warming on Arctic ecosystems through the study and preservation of dormant bacteria released from melting permafrost. The project is divided into three interrelated components: the Field Station, a modular, mobile system for the sampling of permafrost cores throughout the Arctic landscape; the HUB, a research and medical facility based near local Arctic communities, with forms filleted for durability in the arctic environment and thermal efficiency; and the Archive, located in Iqaluit, which couples sleek, expandable metal research pods with locally inspired wooden public spaces. Together, they form a network for sampling, studying, and archiving invisible bacterial ecosystems, the basis of a global scientific network and raising public awareness about Arctic ecology’s challenges and opportunities.
