Poignant Glacier Viewing Centers

Clean the Sky - Positive Eco Trends & Breakthroughs

Visitors can See Climate Change in Action at the Icefjord Center

— July 9, 2016 — Eco
One of the biggest challenges in educating people on climate change is that, since it occurs over decades and centuries, it isn't readily visible; that is, until the opening of the Ilulisat Icefjord Centre in Greenland's portion of the Arctic Circle. The Icefjord Centre serves as both a research outpost for climate change scientists and a visitors' center for intrepid, eco-conscious tourists.

Danish studio Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter designed the Icefjord Centre with the aim of providing a panoramic view of the rugged glacial landscape without having the building itself obstruct Ilulisat's natural beauty. To fulfill that goal, Dorte Mandrup implemented wood decks and sharply angled, low-profile lines that subtly rise from the ground.

The views at the Icefjord Centre are undeniably beautiful, yet tragic; people can now literally watch as climate change takes it toll on the glaciers beyond.

Trend Themes

  1. Climate Change Education Through Scenic Attractions — Developing scenic attractions that allow people to see climate change in action can help in educating people about climate change.
  2. Designing Eco-friendly Architecture for Research Centers and Tourism Industry — Architects could adopt green building technologies and sustainable design principles in designing research centers and tourism industry-related establishments.
  3. Sustainable Tourism for Climate Education — Promoting tourism to environmentally conscious travelers or developing tourism that promotes climate change education could be a sustainable and disruptive innovation opportunity for the tourism industry.

Industry Implications

  1. Tourism Industry — The tourism industry could benefit from promoting eco-tourism destinations and sustainable tourism offerings.
  2. Architecture and Design Industry — The architecture and design industry could build sustainable research centers that minimize the impact on the environment and align with green building principles.
  3. Climate Science Research Industry — The climate science research industry could collaborate with architects to create research centers that align with sustainability goals.
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