CIMS Goes North!
This week, CIMS team members Abhu Dhanda and Kyle Tousant travelled to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut to document the new Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS). CHARS will be the headquarters of Polar Knowledge Canada, a federal research organization mandated to advance the study of the Canadian Arctic and other polar regions. CHARS will form part of a network of northern research bases that contribute to greater knowledge of the Arctic and improved quality of life for its residents.
The location of CHARS was chosen in 2013 after consultations with community members and groups in Cambridge Bay. In 2014, plans were submitted by the design consultants, EVOQ Architecture and NFOE et associés, architectural firms with special experience in Arctic construction and sustainable building practices. The facility will include spaces for researching Arctic wildlife, laboratories for teaching and scientific study, a knowledge sharing centre where locals and staff can meet and host events, and multi-use rooms open to the public.
Due to its remote location, CHARS is not easily accessible to most Canadians. To help bring this cutting-edge facility to a greater demographic, CIMS will be creating a virtual tour based on the documentation work completed by Abhu and Kyle.
After a stormy landing in Cambridge Bay, the team’s first day on the project included getting acquainted with the CHARS campus and undergoing safety training from the onsite construction managers. Later, they took a detailed tour of the building with Michael Brown (Project Engineer for CHARS) and Jacqueline Lalonde (Manager, Communications and Outreach for CHARS) to assess what locations will be focused on in the virtual tour. Objects or equipment that obstruct key areas will need to be moved before data capturing—scheduled for the next day—can begin.
Check back over the coming days to see more posts about the art and architecture of CHARS, how sustainable and Northern-inspired features are incorporated in its design, and how the building is documented for the creation of the virtual tour.
To learn more check out these sites:
https://www.canada.ca/en/polar-knowledge/behindthescenes.html https://www.canada.ca/en/polar-knowledge/constructingstation.html