Working as a designer in the Arctic regions is a constant balancing act. For every fascinating possibility and interesting learning opportunity the plurality of landscapes and cultures offer, there are just as many, if not more, infrastructural, climatic, material, or economic challenges to face.

This year, the studio explores the potential of Greenlandic rock flour (“gletsjermel” in Danish)–a byproduct of natural glacial erosion–as a transformative resource for sustainable development in Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat in Greenlandic). Minik Rosing, a world-renowned geologist, Greenland-native, and Professor at the University of Copenhagen, published groundbreaking work that examines how the fine mineral powder, created by the grinding action of glaciers against bedrock in Greenland, contains rich nutrients that can regenerate depleted soils worldwide and bind CO2 from the atmosphere. This type of rock flour, sometimes also referred to as glacier flour, is exceptionally rich in potassium, phosphorus, and other minerals essential for plant growth. As global climate change accelerates glacial melt in Greenland, massive deposits of this material are being exposed, offering a potential solution to soil degradation and food security challenges around the world.

The studio project investigates how glacier flour, and more specifically its harvesting, may have significant impacts on the urban development of Greenland’s capital city, Nuuk, and a wide range of smaller sites across the Nuuk Fjord (Nuup Kangerlua in Greenlandic). Specifically, the studio details the intertwined nature of responsible extraction practices, urban development in a fragile Arctic landscape, and Inuit economic autonomy.

The studio bridges geological science, urban design, and environmental ethics to reimagine how cities worldwide might establish more regenerative relationships with distant resource landscapes. The resulting projects will contribute to the studio’s ongoing “City as Resource” initiative, which transforms how we understand urban metabolism in an era of climate change and resource constraints.

The studio involves a study trip to Nuuk, which requires traveling to possibly extreme conditions. Students enrolling in this studio are responsible for bringing appropriate clothing and gear to safely withstand the weather conditions and cold temperatures expected in Nuuk.

The site visit will enable students to establish a deeper understanding of Inuit culture and Greenlandic landscapes and formulate a clear understanding of how gletsjermel will be harvested by proposing simple solutions for extracting the mineral before its release in the ocean.

Students who wish to participate in the studio must have a design background. The course is organized within different scales across the disciplines of urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture. Projects will be conducted in pairs. This course has an irregular schedule and will be conducted 50% online and 50% in-person.