Arctic housing unit. Norilsk, Russia

Saint-Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Saint-Petersburg

Project idea

The projects’ site is located in the city of Norilsk. It is situated within the Arctic circle and is known for extremely harsh weather conditions and huge mining areas rich with valuable natural resources such as gas, oil and rare metals. Standard building techniques can't withstand an impact of the local climate and all building materials should be delivered by planes or by ships from other regions.

In order to make this Arctic region suitable for continuous and comfortable habitation, new combinations of building techniques have to be developed and implemented here. The project idea is to develop Arctic residential ecosystem based on the following principles of urban development:
Usage of modular units with prefabricated elements helps to significantly increase the pace of construction;
Closed-loop system of heated overground passages creates year-round pedestrian connection between all units;
Closed-off yard spaces are protected from the exposure to wind and snow;
Construction principles help to reduce an impact of buildings on the Arctic environment and permafrost.

Project description

Project involves detailed design of the housing unit based on the hexagonal volume. Design principles can be summed in following points:
Aerodynamic volume of the unit helps to protect the building from excessive snow and wind loads;
Building structure is based on the combination of CLT panels and glulam beams
Increased width of the unit (18 meters) helps to reduce heat loss;
Pile foundation and ventilation gap between the bottom floor and the earth under building ensures permafrost stability;
Courtyard under the dome serves as year-round recreational area;
Glazing is based on the modular system with decreased heat loss.

The unit consists of residential, recreational, commercial, public and service zones. First floor is equipped with heated recreations with green spaces and commercial areas; they can serve as shelters from the cold for pedestrians during extremely cold weather. Recreational area in the center of the unit serves as the space with green areas as well, but is also equipped with playgrounds and sport facilities for the residents. In the public zone of the unit there is a meeting room, a library, a cafe and a recreational area for children. All zones of the building are connected by the heated passage.

Technical information

Building structure
CLT panels were chosen as the main construction material due to their exceptional properties, which make them suitable for the Arctic climate.CLT panels are prefabricated off-site, which results in faster construction times. This not only reduces the overall construction schedule but also minimizes disruption to the surrounding environment. Moreover, CLT’s layered structure offers better insulation than traditional materials. This leads to improved energy efficiency in buildings, reducing heating and cooling costs. Finally, CLT’s lightweight nature makes it suitable for transportation. It is crucial, since Norilsk city is not equipped with building material factories and all materials should be delivered by planes or ships.

The construction of the recreational area in the center of the unit is based on a metal structure covered by a dome with ETFE foil. This construction system is also implemented in overground passages and in the public unit. ETFE foil offers significant advantages over glass and other transparent materials. These include extremely low weight, exceptional light transmission and low thermal conductivity, a self-cleaning effect, elasticity, long service life and sustainability. ETFE coatings also show tolerance to continuous temperatures of low -100 °C to high 150 °C.

Overall, building structure and construction materials are chosen with regard to energy efficiency of the unit.

Fire safety
CLT can be designed to accommodate substantial fire resistance and unlike steel remains structurally stable when subjected to high temperatures. Additional fire resistance is ensured by adding reinforced concrete walls, acting as a firewall between residential blocks, around stairwells and at the junctions of CLT panels and ETFE foil, covering heated passages.

Building area 3 500 sq.m.
Residential area 12 700 sq.m.
Recreational area 1300 sq.m.
Public area 620 sq.m.
Commercial area 370 sq.m.
Number of 1-room apartments - 32
Number of 2-room apartments - 41
Number of 3-room apartments - 54