OIL
Arctic research lab
Situated within once pristine Borreal forest, our major project for 2012 was designed to purify widespread devastation caused to the Arctic environment by the mining of Oil Sands along the Athabasca river.
The temperatures here drop as low as -50c in winter, when the sun's zenith is barely 45 degrees up in the sky.
In summer, it can be as hot as 40c. Winds reach up to 100km an hour, with snow depth up to 2.5 metres.
The project involved the design of a research lab, nursery / greenhouse for year round growing of the some 30,000 trees per square kilometer needed to return the land to its original condition, a dwelling that can serve as a mobile laboratory, or be arranged within a system to form medium density clusters of housing for the brave staff.
Connecting these structures is a path system that can be insulated completely during inclement weather and opened up to fresh air and vital sunlight whenever possible. The paths can scale to allow traffic to pass safely through and around snow-drifts and ensure the community can operate.
OIL
"Valkyrie" All-terrain Evacuation Craft
A project so rugged would require a vehicle just as tough. Research into existing vehicles in the area uncovered the need for amphibious vehicles that can navigate through heavy snow and thin ice hiding deep water - all of this while carrying heavy cargo which is vital to the township.
The current benchmark is the Swiss-made ARKTOS Evacuation Craft, on which the drivetrain and amphibious capability is based.
The unique and most difficult role of the Valkyrie is to carry parts of the mobile laboratory to isolated sites.
Once successful, the vehicles ensure supplies continue to reach sites regardless of hazardous conditions.
