Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Ahantu ho Kuruhukira no Kwivuza by Yan Wang

Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Ahantu ho Kuruhukira no Kwivuza by Yan Wang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Ifeza in Igishushanyo cy'Ubwubatsi Competition Category.

IfezaUbwubatsi· 2025

Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Ahantu ho Kuruhukira no Kwivuza

by Yan Wang

Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Ifeza Winner in Ubwubatsi Category

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The Design

About Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Ahantu ho Kuruhukira no Kwivuza

Book Text: Arctic Aurora ni ahantu ho kwivuza, ho koga, no kwakira abashyitsi hubatswe mu buryo burambye, hari mu cyaro cya Bergen gikungahaye ku mabuye y'agaciro. Igishushanyo mbonera cyahumetswe n'umucyo wa Arctic aurora, gihindura ibidukikije bikikije ahantu ho kuruhukira mu mutuze binyuze mu miterere yacyo itemba ineza. Gishingiye ku miterere y'uruziga rworoshye ituma amazi ayagenda nta nkomyi mu nyubako yose, gahunda igenda ihinduka buhoro buhoro ivuye ku mirimo rusange ijya ku yihariye.

The Recognition

About the Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Ifeza

Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Ahantu ho Kuruhukira no Kwivuza ni uwegukanye Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Ifeza, ishimwe ridasanzwe ry'agaciro gakomeye ritangwa ku bishushanyo byo ku rwego rwo hejuru, byiza kandi bikora ku mutima. Abegukanye Ifeza ni ibihangano by'ubuhanga bukomeye kandi bifite guhanga kwinshi, bigaragaza ubuhanga bwimbitse, impano n'ubushishozi bw'ababihanze. Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Ahantu ho Kuruhukira no Kwivuza biteganyijwe ko izaba igihangano cy'icyitegererezo, gifite ubunyamwuga bukomeye n'udushya twimbitse. Iki gishushanyo cyegukanye Ifeza ni igihangano kizwi kandi gishimwa, gifasha kugura imbibi z'ubuhanzi, ubumenyi, ubushushanyo n'ikoranabuhanga. Arctic Aurora Primary Function: Ahantu ho Kuruhukira no Kwivuza ni igihangano benshi bifuza, gikangura ibyifuzo, gitanga amarangamutima meza kandi gitera igitangaza.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The Arctic Aurora Spa Rertreat is an eco-friendly spa, bathhouse, and guest retreat set in Bergen's mineral-rich countryside. Inspired by the aurora in the Arctic sky, the design filters the external world into an inner sanctuary through a fluid, flowing form. Following a simple circular geometry which allow water to flow freely throughou the building, the function gets increasingly private. The spatial expression also transitions from an open and communal to an intimate human-scale space.
Dimensions & Packaging: 80m x 80m x 10m
Tags: Bathhouse, Arctic, Landscape, Water, Concept, SPA, Retreat,
Production Technology: The building's structure is made of cross-laminated timber sourced from local forests, ensuring sustainability and a strong connection to its surroundings. The exterior walls are finished with white-dyed clay, while the roof and opaque walls incorporate high-performance vacuum insulation to enhance thermal efficiency. In areas with storefront glazing, triple-glazed insulated glass units (TGUs) provide excellent acoustic, thermal, and energy performance. For mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems, a geothermal pump is utilized for heating, further reinforcing the project's commitment to energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
Design Challenge: Architectural tectonics and technology present the primary challenge, particularly in achieving energy efficiency and thermal performance under arctic conditions. Innovative materials such as TGU (triple-glazed laminated glass units) and vacuum-insulated panels have been explored to optimize thermal insulation, ensuring both environmental performance and thermal comfort within the bathhouse.
Research: The project is rooted in the study of circulation and the spatial negotiation between public and private realms. The program of the bathhouse, encompassing lounge areas and gathering spaces, acts as a mediator along the gradient from intimate, secluded experiences to more communal, shared encounters.
Inspiration: The project is inspired by the aurora in the Arctic sky. It embraces the concepts of fluidity and flow, allowing water to move continuously throughout the bathhouse. The circulation path and function follow this natural movement, shaping the building into a circular form.
Project Duration: The project started in December 2021 in Bergen, Norwary
Operation Flow: The site is nestled in the rural landscape of Bergen, where the architectural composition is organized around a central atrium. Both circulation and thermal baths are choreographed along the perimeter of this opening, establishing a spatial sequence that blurs the boundary between interior and exterior. The stark contrast between the enclosed spaces and the surrounding nature, while maintaining a constant visual connection, offers guests a heightened sensorial experience.
Team Members: Yan Wang
Image Credits: Yan Wang