Taking a look at the new Warming Hut winners
An eagle, a salute to dim sum and a wintery take on Stonehenge are just some of the new warming huts set to adorn The Forks’ Nestaweya River Trail in the new year.
The structures were selected as part of The Warming Huts v.2024 Architecture Competition.
Started in 2009, the contest puts out a global call for unique and mind-bending designs where visitors to the river trail can warm up and marvel at creativity and architecture.
“These huts are designed and built by people for people. They're plunked down on the river to be explored, admired and enjoyed by anyone and everyone,” said Sara Stasiuk, CEO of The Forks North Portage at a news conference Thursday.
This year’s competition had over 200 submissions from around the world, judged anonymously by a jury.
The winning entry "Murky Waters" by Christopher Loofs, Jordan Loofs, and Kaci Marshall is shown in a design rendering image. (Source: The Forks)
The winning submissions this year are “Murky Waters” designed by Oklahoma City’s Christopher Loofs, Jordan Loofs, and Kaci Marshall, “Spinning Dim Sum” by Verena Nelles Kempf from Switzerland and Ilga Nelles of Germany, and “Sublimation,” which was designed by Francisco Silva and Barbara Stallone from France and Alexander Pollard from England.
“This year’s new hut designs are again unique, very diverse. Each hut has its own meaning and tells its own story.”
"Sublimation" is designed as a pavilion forming a beacon in nature, embodying "an intrinsic, distilled beauty." (Source: The Forks)
Joining the pack is a team of invited artists featuring Wayne and Jordan Stranger, a father and son duo from Peguis First Nation.
Their design titled “Circling Above Us” is inspired by an eagle which holds special meaning for the Stranger family.
“They’ve always shown up in times of need, in times of pure joy, times of change. With this warming hut, that’s exactly what eagles bring – love and warmth,” said Jordan Stranger.
“The idea is to have that eagle wrapped around the people that enter, and have that fire pit to keep them warm.”
"Circling Above Us" was designed by father and son team Wayne and Jordan Stranger. The eagle is meant to create a safe space with good energy, serving as a reminder of the effect of the environment. (Source: The Forks)
A submission by the next generation of potential artists will also take shape on the river trail. École St. Avila School’s submission “Amisk” is this year’s winner of the school program, which will be made from materials found in nature, and invites users to learn about Turtle Island and the importance of the beaver.
“We want the project to be accessible to all ages, and we are looking to create a hut where families can enter, warm up, and self-educate," said École St. Avila School teacher librarian Tytanya Fillion, who lead the project.
"When it was announced that Amisk was chosen, everyone cheered, and from that day we’ve all been a part of team Amisk.”
École St. Avila School's submission "Amisk" is shown in a model created by students. (Source: The Forks)
Rounding out the group – the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Architecture’s design titled “Ice Henge,” billed as a snowy take on Stonehenge.
“In a world hurtling towards hyper-connectivity and simultaneous disingenuity, we seek to counter this trend by creating an intervention that combines warmth, and joy in a juxtaposition of the ice and landscape,” said team member Kyra Kwiatkowski .
Build week for the six new huts will happen at the end of January, with winning teams converging in Winnipeg to bring their designs to life.
The huts will be placed on both the Nestaweya River Trail and in the Arctic Glacier Winter Park, along with returning huts from past years.
The University of Manitoba's Faculty of Architecture's submission "Ice Henge" seeks to enhance the existing ice and snow environment. (Source: The Forks)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Cybersecurity incident' shuts down London Drugs stores across Western Canada
All 79 locations of pharmacy and retail chain London Drugs were shut down Sunday after it was the victim of a “cybersecurity incident.”
CDC says it's identified 1st documented cases of HIV transmitted through cosmetic needles
Three women diagnosed with HIV after getting 'vampire facial' procedures at an unlicensed medical spa are believed to be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles.
Canucks pull off comeback, top Predators 4-3 in OT
Elias Lindholm scored 1:02 into overtime and the Vancouver Canucks came all the way back to beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Aerial photos show wide devastation left by a deadly tornado in China's Guangzhou
Aerial photos posted by Chinese state media on Sunday showed wide devastation in part of the southern city of Guangzhou after a tornado swept through the day before, killing five people, injuring dozens others and damaging more than 140 buildings.
Ontario to ban use of cellphones in school classrooms starting in September
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Australian prime minister describes domestic violence as a 'national crisis' after protests
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday described domestic violence as a 'national crisis' after thousands rallied around the country against violence toward women.
Casey DeSmith won’t start Game 4 for the Canucks
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Vancouver Canucks when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series Sunday.
Putin likely didn't order death of Russian opposition leader Navalny, U.S. official says
U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin likely didn't order the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny in February, according to an official familiar with the determination.