Tales of a New North

The Arctic is seen here as an open sea surrounded by landmass. By the end of the century it is speculated that most of the Arctic sea ice will have permanently melted resulting in the Arctic Ocean becoming fully navigable. Set in 2100, this project looks at these events through three tendencies, assessing the large scale geo-political forces at work whilst identifying points of spatial leverage between the protagonists’ in order to explore what lies ahead for the Arctic’s inhabitants.

By exaggerating current trajectories, it is possible to speculate on how alternative forms of governance could interact in the Arctic’s long-term future. Architectures will emerge that ultimately mobilise economic and corporate agendas but there will be a backlash in the form of activism that will see the Arctic as a potential no man’s land. The indigenous Inuit populations will demand an ethical approach to their ancestral home - and perhaps they too still stand to make a profit.

The most obvious victors are the sovereign powers and their control of mineral resources but by analysing the mechanisms and apparatus through which power is exercised, is it possible to disentangle the complex structures that uphold our reliance on mineral resources? In an attempt to demystify the Arctic, agents are revealed that can play a role in ensuring that this territory can be seen from a multiplicity of different perspectives.