In the remote and rugged landscape of Kullorsuaq, Greenland, BIOSIS has designed a climate-sensitive multipurpose house for children, youth, and the community. Commissioned by the local municipality, Avannaata Kommunia, Kullorsuaq - a House for Children provides a safe, inspiring space for learning, play, and growth. Reflecting BIOSIS's climate-conscious philosophy, the design harmonizes with its surroundings, fostering connection, education, and recreation.
Far beyond the Arctic Circle, in the majestic landscapes of Northwest Greenland, lies the village of Kullorsuaq. Here, "Kullorsuaq - A House for Children," a multifunctional facility adjacent to the local school, will provide the town with a preschool, youth club, nursery, and emergency housing for children in need. The architectural vision is to create a haven for children, with an authentic and playful design rooted in BIOSIS's philosophy of climate-driven, resilient architecture that fosters a deep connection to the surrounding landscape.
A minimal impact, climate-driven philosophy
BIOSIS’s philosophy of climate-driven design is based on adapting architecture to the specific environmental conditions of each site regarding its global, local and social conditions. By gathering these extensive contextual data, BIOSIS creates a distinct “design DNA” for each building, rooted in its specific environment.
Given Kullorsuaq’s extreme climatic conditions, including increasing meltwater, the design takes an innovative approach to managing surface water. Instead of traditional methods, BIOSIS has embraced the landscape's natural features, preserving the bedrock and rock formations by elevating the building on timber columns rather than blasting the bedrock. This not only minimizes the impact on the landscape but also repurposes the natural terrain into a playful area for children.
“For us, designing in cold, snowy, and windy climates is about more than just structural resilience - it’s about creating spaces that harmonize with the environment,” says BIOSIS founder Morten Vedelsbøl. “Instead of reshaping the land, we allow our buildings to rest on it naturally, using local materials and traditional techniques to honour the surroundings. This way, elements like wind, snow, and meltwater aren’t challenges to overcome - they’re integral parts of the design,” Morten Vedelsbøl continues.
The timber columns allow rain and meltwater to flow naturally from the mountain, beneath the building, through the inner courtyard, and down to the fjord. What might be seen as a challenge - managing meltwater - has been transformed into an opportunity. The natural crevices of the landscape form small ponds and rivers that run through the playground. In winter, snow is cleared from the terraces and ramps into the centre, where it accumulates into a mountain of snow that gradually melts away. The different states of water become a dynamic and engaging element in the design, offering children a landscape of play, with movement, reflection, and sound enhancing their sensory experience and understanding of their local climate and natural elements.
A circular design creating microclimates and community spaces in the harsh Arctic
The building's circular, low-rise design further supports the harsh Arctic environment. It naturally creates a sheltered courtyard by breaking down the strong winds while being oriented to capture sunlight, ensuring warmth and comfort throughout the year. The building is mainly one level, rising to two stories in the north and northwest to specifically block the prevailing winds and create elevated privacy for the emergency housing units on the first floor - away from the dynamics of the playground and the lively ground floor.
This creates a central microclimate for outdoor play and education for the children during the day, but also provides a versatile and uniquely sheltered space for gatherings in the evening, where the community can assemble for cultural and political events throughout the year.
Furthermore, due to the sloping conditions of the site and the concept of the design, there is a view of the sea and surrounding landscape from every room in the building and from the inner playground overlooking the fjord.
Locally anchored design
The multi-purpose building in Kullorsuaq serves as a safe gathering space for the community’s children, located conveniently close to the local school. It provides them with a much-needed place to go after school - a welcoming, secure environment for socializing, playing, and connecting.
Outside school hours, the building is also available to the entire community, opening its doors during afternoons, evenings, and weekends for broader use. This flexible design allows for gatherings, workshops, and recreational activities, fostering a sense of shared ownership and encouraging community members of all ages to enjoy the space.
The materials and colours of the house are carefully selected to reflect the natural beauty of Greenland. BIOSIS utilized durable larch wood for both the cladding and interior elements, a material known for its ability to weather gracefully while complementing the site’s dry climate, bedrock, and vegetation. The design prioritizes simplicity, emphasizing ease of construction - an essential consideration in Greenland’s remote and challenging environment.
“The local workforce will build this project without any large machinery, so the project is designed with small spans as a timber frame construction made from standard-sized materials that can be handled on site”, explains BIOSIS founder Mikkel Thams Olsen. “The project has a minimal impact on the site, with no excavation or blasting of the bedrock and no concrete casting. It is mainly a wooden structure inside and out - lifted from the ground on timber columns. If the building is ever dismantled, it will leave the site untouched”, Mikkel Thams Olsen continues.
Given the importance of logistics and transportation in this region, BIOSIS employed locally sourced, manageable materials and small-scale construction techniques to facilitate efficient transport and assembly. By maintaining construction elements at a scale that minimizes the need for heavy machinery, the design aligns with Greenlandic building traditions while addressing the practical realities of constructing in such an isolated location.
Project Details
Title: Kullorsuaq - A House for Children
Program: Preschool, youth club, community house, and emergency housing
Client: Avannaata Kommunia
Architect: BIOSIS
Collaborators: Titarneq, INUPLAN A/S
Location: Kullorsuaq, Greenland
Size: 1600 m²
Design Completed: 2022, awaiting construction
High-resolution renderings and drawings can be downloaded via WeTransfer here (NB! Expires December 20, 2024). Renderings must be credited to Beauty And The Bit.
About Kullorsuaq
Kullorsuaq, a remote settlement in northwestern Greenland, is home to approximately 450 residents and remains one of the region’s most traditional hunting and fishing communities. This project, initiated by the Avannaata Kommunia municipality, aims to create a safer and more nurturing environment for the town’s children and youth, with architecture thoughtfully designed to address their needs while harmonizing with the natural surroundings.
About BIOSIS
BIOSIS is a Scandinavian, Copenhagen-based multidisciplinary design studio founded in 2018 by architects Morten Vedelsbøl and Mikkel Thams Olsen. Specializing in climate-driven design, BIOSIS operates across Scandinavia, the North Atlantic, and the Arctic, undertaking projects that seamlessly integrate urban planning, landscape, and architecture. Through a thoughtful study of each site’s unique conditions and needs, BIOSIS creates climate-driven projects that foster global responsibility, social connectivity, and respect for nature.
www.biosis.dk
