Nuukullak 10 | BIOSIS

Nuukullak 10 lies gently perched on the mountain ridge of Entreprenørdalen, a district in Nuuk that is currently undergoing a transformation from a former industrial area into an attractive new urban district. A climate-driven design approach. BIOSIS works from a climate-driven design approach which for Nuukullak 10 meant finding solutions that could break down the forceful northern winds and optimize the few daylight hours in winter.

Thorough studies of wind, flow, and daylight were applied to refine the design and increase the building’s performance, and influence the livability of its residents during the entire design process. By creating an intimate scale of a low-rise building that orients according to the micro-climate, the architects created a building that improves the indoor and outdoor comfort for its residents. To provide the needed protection against the harsh northern winds, the building forms a distinctive horseshoe shape that envelopes the truncated triangle-shaped courtyard. The open end of the courtyard towards the south brings in light and views of the backdrop landscape and sea.

The inner courtyard space serves as the residents’ year-round landscape for play for children, communal space in summer, and wind-sheltered entrance points. All entrances and balconies are further protected as niches in the building volume, providing shelter from the wind and snow. The architects’ aim was to minimize the impact and preserve and respect the natural terrain, habitat, and biotopes by for example keeping blasting to a minimum.

By keeping the rocky features in the design, the building becomes a harmonious extension of its natural environment. Let nature take the lead. The architects’ minimal impact approach meant that rock blasting was kept to an absolute minimum to preserve and respect the natural terrain, habitat, and biotopes. Situated on the edge of the ridge with a steep slope, Nuukullak 10 ascends from street level to the ridge’s highest point, progressively gaining elevation.

The structure respectfully follows its natural topography, stepping both vertically and horizontally to allow the mountain and natural landscape to subtly influence its profile. On the ground floor, the building elevates and unveils a glazed café space facing a small square welcoming pedestrians and cyclists to further facilitate connections, and foster community development and enrichment in Nuuk.

Comfort tailored to last. Nuukullak 10 contains 45 apartments that accommodate various layouts and sizes ranging from one-bedroom to four-bedroom apartments to meet different people’s needs – from students and singles to families. The units have minimalist interiors with generous bay windows that offer daylight and unobstructed views of the surrounding landscape and natural landmarks such as the Ukkusissat mountain and the Nuup Kangerlua fjord. All units have south-east-facing balconies strategically placed to get the most sun and daylight while being shielded from the prevailing arctic wind from the north.

The perforated façade cladding adds further shelter while also providing privacy without compromising views, light flow, and ventilation. The façade cladding in solid and perforated sheets of weathered corten steel interplays naturally with the colors of the surrounding vegetation. The architects were inspired by the natural conditions of the site in terms of textures and colours and have chosen the corten steel due to its robust properties and its ability to shift expression, weather naturally and patinate during the seasons in harmony with snow or the beautiful nuances and textures found in the bedrock and vegetation on the site.

Project Info
Architects: BIOSIS
Country: Greenland, Nuuk
Area: 3400 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Emil Stach