P131 - NUUK FIRE STATION - A Sustainable Workplace in Connection with Nature /  by Morten Vedelsbøl

P131
NUUK FIRE STATION
64°10'57.9"N 51°41'38.3"W
Nuuk - Greenland

Our proposal for a new fire station in the capital city is aiming to set new standards for incorborating sustainability in the building- and workplace design in Greenland.

The building site holds the potential to bridge two seperate areas of the city through its architecture. The base platform is shaped as a lifted landscape supporting a horisontal spear, pointing toward the hilly landscape and extended city.

The language and the form and facade is one of movement and speed, refering to the emergency response of the building’s function. The red fire vehicles create contrast to the colors of the surrounding nature and the natural materials of the building (stone and metal). The yellow coloring of the steel interior - refering to fire rescue materials and vessels - brings a warmth and symbolism to the work environment and brings forward a tradition of colors in the local architecture.

Whilst ensuring an optimised workflow between the different zones in a complex function diagram, the design is ultimately giving the fire fighters daylight, space and views of the surrounding nature. The upper floor ‘spear’ cantilevers over the entrance courtyard of the personnel section and brings connection and views to a creek and mountain next to the site.

P094 - NUUKULLAK - Residential Building 'Climbing' the Bedrock /  by Morten Vedelsbøl

As one of the first plots in a new development centrally in Nuuk, these 45 new homes are currently under construction.

The project is situated on a steep slope, ‘climbing’ from street level to its highest point, gradually increasing in height. The building forms after the current typology, stepping both vertically and horisontally to let the landscape indirectly shape its contours.

The building envelopes around a courtyard, protected from the strong northern winds in winter. The courtyard opens up in a V-shape toward the protected natural landscape, allowing beautiful views toward the horizon. The courtyard serves as access to all the entrances, allowing people to move comfortably from the parking or street level to their home.

All entrances and balconies are protected as niches in the building volume, providing outdoor shelter for the individual apartments.

On the ground floor, the building elevates and unveils a glazed café space facing a small square welcoming pedestrians and cyclists from the city center.

The facade will be clad in solid and perforated sheets of weathered steel, interplaying naturally with the colores of the surrounding vegetation.

During the entire design process, studies of wind, comfort and daylight have been applied simutanously to increase the building performance and influence on the liveability for its future residents.

The building is due completion at the end of 2022.

P096 - QULLILERFIK Passes Through Planning /  by Morten Vedelsbøl

Our scheme for a sustainable development of Nuuk’s most central location has now passed through planning, getting approved June 9th 2020 by the municipal council of Nuuk, Greenland. The project allows for the construction of five diamond shaped residential buildings, intertwining the respect for the surrounding natural landscape, the typical wooden paths of Nuuk and sculpturally refers to the local geology and building typologies. We look forward to starting the detail project of the residential buildings later this year.

P121 - KULLORSUAQ - Rural Community and Daycare Center /  by Morten Vedelsbøl

P121
KULLORSUAQ
Community and Daycare Center
74°34’41.6”N 57°13’53.9”W
Kullorsuaq - Greenland

In Greenlands largest ‘village’ (bygd), our design for the second public building besides the local school has been created under strict care for the topographical, environmental, climatic and social conditions of the site.

In order to meet these conditions, the building envelopes an inner courtyard acting as shelter for the strong cold winds thus creating an enclosed, protected space for the children and as a meeting place in the local community. Because of the sloping conditions of the site there is a view of the sea and surrounding landscape from every room in the building and from the inner courtyard overlooking the fjord.

The local workforce have to build this project without any larger 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.
The project has a minimal impact on the site it inhabits, with no excavation of the bedrock and no concrete casting. It is lifted from the ground on timber columns, allowing surface water to flow under the building. If the building is one day to be dismantled, it will leave the site untouched.

The project is due completion in 2024.

NUUKULLAK MASS STUDIES /  by Morten Vedelsbøl

We are developing a new housing and mixed use project in the center of Nuuk, Greenland. The playful language of the building is intended to follow the contours of the landscape, thus letting nature underline the gestalt of the building. Stay tuned!

P112 - Technical Campus Greenland /  by Morten Vedelsbøl

BIOSIS has been chosen to assist The Government of Greenland with developing the strategy and masterplanning of a new Technical Campus Greenland in the city of Sisimiut.

Phase 1 establishes an ‘Axis’ that connects the existing and new buildings in a campus-like structure. The axis consists of a raised bridge building that connects the northern part with the southern part as well as the KTI, the Minerals School and the Iron and Metal School. The iron and metal school is placed lifted on the northern ridge, allowing the raised connection. Under the bridge building, an ascent / descent is established that connects to the landscape. The raised location on the ridge provides a good basic level connecting both new and existing buildings with two main entrances from the North and South, respectively.

The further expansion strategy is based on a building that establishes an inner movement loop over time. The entire building will stand as a raised ‘arctic ring’ that wraps around an inner landscape space. As in phase 1, ascents and descents are established under the raised building bodies that connect to the landscape and the arrival from here.

BIOSIS /  by Morten Vedelsbøl

The story of BIOSIS begins in 2016 where we started putting together the principals of a vision that is now the BIOSIS brand.

We developed this method in projects that we developed together over the next couple of years, revolving around sustainability as an overall premise for the design of our buildings and landscapes.

Experiences from remote Nordic, Northatlantic and Arctic landscapes like the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Northern Norway helped shape a perception of sustainability that grew from the beauty - but also the harsh climatic conditions of these regions.

Some of the key drivers that we used were:
MINIMAL IMPACT (the preservation and respect of the natural terrain and habitat)
SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION (using natural, local, short travelled materials)
LOCAL MICRO CLIMATES (creating comfortable architectural environments shaped by the movements and the impact of wind, water (precipitation) and sunlight)
BIOPHILIA (the human psychology of being attracted to nature)

(We later developed these ideas into what we now call CLIMATE DRIVEN DESIGN).

We founded BIOSIS in 2018 based on these principles and the idea of wanting to contribute with our passion for architecture in a sustainable future.

Morten Vedelsbøl and Mikkel Thams Olsen
Architects and BIOSIS founders

PROJECT MAP /  by Morten Vedelsbøl

BIOSIS operates across the Nordic, North Atlantic and Arctic region with projects to date in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. It is our goal to build a foundation of expertise that feeds into our services all over the region. We work to have this foundation make us a leading firm in Climate-Driven Design and planning.

CLIMATE DRIVEN DESIGN /  by Morten Vedelsbøl

We apply a diverse method of sustainable parameters as part of any design - architectural, landscape or urban. We use external factors, such as the client’s programmatic needs, planning regulations and budget - equal to a set of local, social and global climate parameters - as constraints or challenges to the conception of the design. We have named this approach Climate Driven Design.

NATURE & BIOPHILIA
We have the core believe that - whether we live in dense cities, suburbs or rural environments - we as humans seek and thrive from the presence of nature in all its forms. This drive towards biophilia exists as a soul of all our projects - the eagerness to connect us- and submit to our natural environments.

EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS AND CLIMATES
Experiences from remote Nordic, Northatlantic and Arctic landscapes has helped shape our perception of sustainability that grows from the beauty - but also the harsh climatic conditions of these regions. We build - along with our portfolio - an expertise that can be used across climate zones, landscapes and borders. Every situation, program and environment is unique - and so are our solutions.

DOCUMENTATION AND SIMULATION
During the design process we test our proposals with advanced tools of simulation and documentation of wind, water, topography, and daylight. We learn from the feedback the evidence gives us, that either supports our initial approach - or helps it take a different direction, form or solution.

EVIDENCE BASED DESIGN
Along with testing our own design, we use existing research as part of the design process to ensure the resilience of the solutions at an early stage. It is our ambition to create measurable projects, that can feed back further into our expertise.

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Our continuous work with Climate Driven Design is supported by the Danish Arts Foundation.