Mobile Cottages for Arctic Tourism

The concept, known as IlluHOME, is a three-sided fold-up cottage made from fiberglass and aluminum. It is light enough to be transported by dogsled over the ice and snow of greenland, and equipped to support renewable energy technology and wastewater treatment features. In the exposed terrain of greenland, warm temperature inside the cottages also depend simply upon the absorption of solar heat throughout the day.

The paradoxical and somewhat disheartening see-it-before-it's-gone tourism trend will surely bring more visitors to the Arctic as the glaciers continue to melt. Preventing further impact is key to upholding a tourism industry in Greenland as climate change continues to alter the environment. In addition, scientists conducting research in the Arctic need shelters that are flexible and light for extended periods of exploration. Cottage designs like this one can help alleviate some of the pressure for permanent accommodation and make the adoption of sustainable energy strategies a little easier in this remote location.

A post over at Designboom provides some live images of the models, which were recently exhibited during Copenhagen Design Week. Images: Kristoffer Negendahl