The Arctic Hypothesis : Architecture in Transition for the Land of Tomorrow

The intention is to foster a dialogue on the climate and economic transition in the Arctic from the point of view of architecture and urban planning research. The intention is to use architecture in a creative way of inquiry to explore alternatives about the future of society in the Swedish Arctic. The Arctic is supposed to be the port of refuge of the 21st century. Quoting the environmental journalist Gaia Vince “we are entering a nomadic era where Arctic cities are expected to expand, and new urban centers will emerge.” The Arctic represent a small percentage of the world’s land mass and population. Climatic change crisis opens new possibilities for the centralization of the Nordic countries in global dynamics such as migration, natural resources management and safe living. The potential for climate change-induced migration to the Arctic presents a new narrative for the historically shrinking population base. This migratory process could reverse historic population shrinking and bring to a rapid expansion of existing cities and the construction of new ones. This opens a number of questions related to social and environmental justice. Which aspects should architectural research prioritize to shape the environment for this possible future? How can modern technology support architecture and urban planning to innovative design processes?