The Subtle Landscape: An Architecture of Three Days (McIntosh 2018)
Author: Sarah McIntosh
Thesis Advisor: Ozayr Saloojee
Date: 2018
Master of Architecture
Carleton University
Abstract:
Inuit societies in Canada’s arctic are known for their adaptability and resiliency. However, the Inuit experience of colonization and non-indigenous contact has contributed to a profound disruption of culture, language, and living, with catastrophic consequences for mental health and well-being. This thesis reflects on how architecture/design can respond to the complex issues of mental health currently affecting Inuit societies in Canada, using the flux of ever-changing terrains and landscapes as both context and intervention. In doing this, a series of proposed outposts mark the line of an annual suicide prevention walk, hosted by Qikiqtarjuaq in an attempt to bring recognition and attention to the purpose of the walk and to provide shelter and services to travelers who partake. Working together, the outposts speak to the importance of experience, culture, process, and healing within a landscape of utmost significance.