Architecture

Architects envision new logistics center for Santa

Architects envision new logistics center for Santa
The Nothing Is Impossible concept won the Unbelievable Challenge, out of a total 243 entries from 59 countries
The Nothing Is Impossible concept won the Unbelievable Challenge, out of a total 243 entries from 59 countries
View 12 Images
The Nothing Is Impossible concept won the Unbelievable Challenge, out of a total 243 entries from 59 countries
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The Nothing Is Impossible concept won the Unbelievable Challenge, out of a total 243 entries from 59 countries
Nothing Is Impossible also sports a snow collector system, which melts snow for use in the building, in addition to a rainwater collector
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Nothing Is Impossible also sports a snow collector system, which melts snow for use in the building, in addition to a rainwater collector
The winner has been awarded a cash prize of €1,000 (US$1,250) and a 10-week paid internship at architecture firm Snøhetta
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The winner has been awarded a cash prize of €1,000 (US$1,250) and a 10-week paid internship at architecture firm Snøhetta
The design by Romania's Alexandru Oprita and Laurentiu Constantin was chosen as winner of the Unbelievable Challenge with Nothing Is Impossible
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The design by Romania's Alexandru Oprita and Laurentiu Constantin was chosen as winner of the Unbelievable Challenge with Nothing Is Impossible
Santa Claus (pictured) is the main investor in the project
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Santa Claus (pictured) is the main investor in the project
The Unbelievable Challenge calls for Santa to move his base of operations a little further south, to Oulu in Finland
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The Unbelievable Challenge calls for Santa to move his base of operations a little further south, to Oulu in Finland
There were a total of 243 entries, from 59 countries
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There were a total of 243 entries, from 59 countries
The Speed Of Dreams sports a facade made from panels of different colors and materials, which are assembled to create optical illusion of something in movement
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The Speed Of Dreams sports a facade made from panels of different colors and materials, which are assembled to create optical illusion of something in movement
(Ice)Climbing sports a year-round climbing training facility, and also has a number of solar panels on the roof
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(Ice)Climbing sports a year-round climbing training facility, and also has a number of solar panels on the roof
The SantaPole features a focus on workforce efficiency, with all of Santas’ friends located close to each other and the layout encourages work concentration
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The SantaPole features a focus on workforce efficiency, with all of Santas’ friends located close to each other and the layout encourages work concentration
S.M.L.XL Logistic can be entered from different angles, and focuses on the logistical requirements of assembling and shipping so many presents in a short time-frame
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S.M.L.XL Logistic can be entered from different angles, and focuses on the logistical requirements of assembling and shipping so many presents in a short time-frame
Santa Claus' Planetary Garden envisions Santa's logistics center becoming "a botanical garden dedicated to the collection, cultivation and distribution of plants from various climatic regions of the planet"
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Santa Claus' Planetary Garden envisions Santa's logistics center becoming "a botanical garden dedicated to the collection, cultivation and distribution of plants from various climatic regions of the planet"
View gallery - 12 images

It may be the most wonderful time of the year for some, but for the hardworking residents of the North Pole, Christmas is a time of long hours, tight deadlines, and tricky logistical challenges. In a bid to help ensure presents continue to get delivered in a timely fashion, an architecture competition was recently held to design a new Scandinavian logistics center for Santa and his team.

The Unbelievable Challenge is a conceptual architecture competition launched as part of a marketing campaign for organizers Ruukki (a construction supplies firm), that calls for Santa to move his base of operations over to Oulu, Finland. Out of a total 243 entries from 59 countries, Romania's Alexandru Oprita and Laurentiu Constantin were given the nod as joint winners, with Nothing Is Impossible: a sustainable building which sports a novel invisible facade that enables it to stay hidden from prying eyes during the day.

Santa Claus (pictured) is the main investor in the project
Santa Claus (pictured) is the main investor in the project

Nothing Is Impossible is hidden from view with a photovoltaic membrane and a two-way mirror membrane, both of which help it blend in with the surrounding landscape. We're not quite sure exactly how this system would work, but presumably the magic of Christmas comes into play somehow.

The winning concept also calls for a snow collection system, which melts snow for use in the building, in addition to a rainwater collector. A ground-source heat pump produces heat energy from the ground, and a solar panel array is also located on the roof. We've no word on stables, but it's a given that Rudolph and company would also be made suitably comfortable.

Alexandru Oprita and Laurentiu Constantin have been awarded a cash prize of €1,000 (US$1,250) and just one of the two will be able to participate in a 10-week paid internship at top architecture firm Snøhetta. As of writing, primary investor Mr. Claus was unavailable for comment.

Check out each of the runners-up in the gallery.

Source: Unbelievable Challenge

View gallery - 12 images
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