Submissions for IDA 2024 are now closed. Finalize your entries by December 8, 2024.
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Ukuutak,  | International Design Awards Winners
Ukuutak,  | International Design Awards Winners
Ukuutak,  | International Design Awards Winners
Ukuutak,  | International Design Awards Winners
Ukuutak,  | International Design Awards Winners
Ukuutak,  | International Design Awards Winners
Ukuutak,  | International Design Awards Winners
Ukuutak,  | International Design Awards Winners
Ukuutak,  | International Design Awards Winners

Ukuutak

UniversitySavannah College of Art and Design
Lead DesignersHazen Soucy
Project LocationNelson Island, Alaska
Prize(s)Bronze in Public Space Architecture Designs / Disaster Relief, Silver in Public Space Architecture Designs / Community center
Entry Description

Remote indigenous communities along the Alaskan Coast are sinking into unstable ground left behind by melting permafrost. With little help from Disaster Relief Agencies, these communities, and their ancient cultures, are at risk of extinction. The “Ukuutak,” named after the Yup'ik Inuit term for a vernacular windbreak, is an adaptable architectural solution where prefabrication and modularity provide for struggling indigenous communities upon their need to relocate, while preserving the symbiotic relationship between native wildlife, the environment, and indigenous lifestyles.