White Arkitekter has been selected as one of four finalists in the open Nordic Built Challenge competition for the Faroe Islands in Denmark, with their proposal, “The Eyes of Runavik.” Developed in collaboration with Norwegian engineering company DIFK / Florian Kosche, the design centers on a new “landmark building typology adaptable to a variety of steep terrains, and specifically designed for the climatic conditions of the Faroe Islands.”
The project draws inspiration from traditional Faeroese agriculture, in which an outfield, or “hagi,” is used for summer grazing, while cultivated land—“bøur”—is used for growing crops. Thus, each building ring, or “eye,” of the design “can be seen as a settlement in itself, with the outfield ‘hagi’ as the wild landscape all around, and the infield ‘bøur’ as the cultivated microclimate in the center.”