SIORARSIORFIK - at the base of the mountain

ABOUT THE PROJECT

At the Base of the Mountain explores how military expansion in Greenland can be planned in a way that supports local development rather than existing as an isolated defence project.

The project takes its point of departure in Nuuk, where the Danish Defence is preparing major investments as part of a strengthened Arctic presence. At the same time, the city is facing rapid growth, a severe housing shortage and increasing pressure on the limited land available for development.

Through fieldwork, interviews and strategic planning, the project investigates how architecture can mediate between military needs, local ambitions and the Arctic landscape. The result is a strategic development framework for Siorarsiorfik - a new urban area where military and civilian functions are planned together from the beginning.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES THROUGH A NETWORK OF ACTORS

The challenges surrounding military expansion in Greenland are complex and deeply interconnected. As architects entering a context shaped by local histories, political interests and lived experiences, understanding the project required perspectives beyond our own.

Through fieldwork, mapping and more than 35 interviews with residents, planners, politicians, military personnel, researchers and local organisations, we built a broad network of voices that informed the project. These conversations revealed key insights into the relationships between military development, urban growth and the Arctic landscape, forming the foundation for the project's further investigations.

MAPPING THE PROBLEM FIELD

The knowledge gathered through interviews and research was synthesised into a problem field that identifies the interconnected challenges shaping future development in Nuuk.

Rather than viewing military expansion as a single issue, the mapping reveals a network of social, spatial, political and environmental conditions. This framework helped identify where architectural interventions can create the greatest value, while also establishing the foundation for understanding the project through three equally important actors: the locals, the military and the nature.

THE INTEGRATION SCALE

The relationship between military and civilian development is often understood as a choice between complete separation and complete integration. This project argues for a more nuanced approach.

The integration scale explores where shared value can be created between the two. While many military functions require strict security and restricted access, others offer opportunities for collaboration through shared infrastructure, facilities and services. By focusing on this middle ground, the project investigates how resources, investments and spaces can serve multiple purposes while respecting operational requirements.

DATA OVERVIEW

Data mapping provided a structured overview of complex datasets and helped narrow our research to the most relevant areas, where key patterns, actors, and relationships became visible.

THE THREE ACTS

THE LOCALS

Nuuk is Greenland's largest city and home to more than one third of the country's population. The city is growing rapidly, creating pressure on housing, infrastructure and future development.

Interviews highlighted a recurring need for stronger local involvement in decision-making and for development that responds to everyday life, existing communities and local knowledge.

Key insights

• Housing shortage
• Need for local involvement
• Strong social culture
• Nature as part of everyday life

THE MILITARY

The Danish Defence is strengthening its presence in Greenland through major investments in infrastructure, personnel and new facilities.

While military planning is often driven by security, logistics and operational requirements, interviews revealed opportunities for stronger local integration and greater long-term value creation.

Key insights

• New headquarters in Nuuk
• Need for accommodation
• Retention of personnel
• Value of local knowledge

THE NATURE

In Greenland, landscape is not simply a backdrop for development. Topography, climate, seasons and access to nature shape everyday life and determine where development is possible.

Understanding the landscape became essential for identifying opportunities for future growth in Nuuk.

Key insights

• Limited buildable land
• Climate and terrain shape development
• Easy access to nature is highly valued
• The landscape holds cultural significance

The project is a strategic development plan for Siorarsiorfik, providing a framework for the area’s future development. As Danish architects, we do not define the final design itself, but instead establish zoning strategies and design principles that form a foundation for subsequent work, including the master plan, local plans, and related processes.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Five design principles formed the foundation of our approach to the strategic development framework.

1. Local Anchoring
2. Nature as Identity
3. Holistic Planning
4. Shared Spaces
5. Seasonal Cycles

These design principles can be found in the way we envision and visualize the new areas and life in Siorarsiorfik.

VISION PLAN

Developed through sketch studies, terrain analysis, and clear design principles, the vision plan sets out a landscape-driven approach to the future zoning of Siorarsiorfik.

Topography guides the placement of key functions, with development aligned along ridges and defined by natural boundaries. The plan establishes a clear spatial gradient from a concentrated urban core near the harbour, tunnel, and Nuuk connection, towards a more open, nature-dominated landscape facing the fjord.

The vision plan is developed through a layered analysis of the Siorarsiorfik landscape. The area's topography, natural boundaries, and landscape characteristics have served as key drivers in determining the location and organisation of future functions.

MODELS OF SIORARSIORFIK

PARAMETERS

The vision plan is based on a series of key parameters that inform its overall structure and spatial logic, forming the foundation for how the area is organized and developed.

Although we do not propose a final plan, we map out the strategic ambitions for the area, where we indicate different identities and distribution of zones.

THE PLATEAU

By working actively with the landscape, we identified a flat plateau that can serve both civilian and military purposes. Its openness preserves key sightlines from surrounding built areas while creating a shared, flexible space.

The plateau supports multiple uses: for the military as an area for landings, training, and exercises, and for civilians as a space for sports, events, and local activities.

THE HARBOUR

From the lively harbour, the city shifts into a central square shaped by schools, services, culture, and everyday encounters. As a civic meeting point, it acts as a mediator between civilian and military functions, enabling coexistence through shared daily life.

To the east, the urban fabric gradually softens into a quieter natural zone, supporting recreation and everyday use after school or work.

The harbour itself forms a vibrant waterfront focused on leisure, movement, cafés, hotels, and direct access to the sea.

THE SQUARE

The square is an everyday civic space shaped by schools, culture, and larger public buildings. It forms a shared setting for informal encounters and daily routines across different user groups.

As a key urban meeting point, it enables coexistence between civilian and military life through shared activities and public space.

NATURE MEETING SPOTS

Nature meeting spots act as light, informal interventions in the landscape, supporting everyday use without altering its character.

The area is structured by a landscape-led approach where nature is kept open and accessible, with recreational zones free of buildings and strengthened connections towards Kobbefjord and Rypeø.

This enables everyday outdoor activities such as hiking, hunting, and recreation within a continuous natural setting.

THE MILITARY

The military presence in Siorarsiorfik is structured around a clear axis that organizes movement, logistics, and levels of security, connecting controlled areas with the plateau and the harbour.

This framework links the three main operational domains, land, air, and sea, through the HQ, the plateau, and the harbour/Rypeø, ensuring functional integration across the landscape.

Security is defined in dialogue with terrain and natural conditions, where barriers, distance, and simple signage clarify access while maintaining openness and everyday visibility.

We propose a comprehensive strategy based on phased development, a clear governance model, and active stakeholder involvement to ensure a robust and holistic approach to the long-term development of the area.

GOVERNANCE MODEL

We propose a local development company to coordinate the project between Defence, Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, and Naalakkersuisut. A CEO drives implementation, supported by an advisory board with local stakeholders, translating defence investment into local development.

INVOLVEMENT

We propose a citizens’ assembly as the key method for involvement, bringing together a randomly selected group of residents who are informed by local and expert knowledge before collectively developing recommendations.

These inputs help define key principles for the development and are integrated into the strategic framework, ensuring local knowledge informs long-term planning.

PHASING STRATEGY

The development is structured as a long-term, phased process from initial infrastructure works to a fully established urban area. It allows the project to gradually evolve, adapt, and respond to changing needs over time.

The approach is iterative, with ongoing evaluation and collaboration between stakeholders, ensuring that the framework can adjust as the area develops and also serve as a model for similar future projects.

PROCESS ROADMAP

An overview of the project phases, showing how planning, temporary initiatives and construction are integrated over time. It also illustrates how the development continues beyond completion through ongoing dialogue, evaluation and long-term collaboration between stakeholders.

The project outlines a strategic, landscape-based framework for Siorarsiorfik where urban development, nature, and defence are brought together in a shared and adaptable structure. It does not present a final form, but a way of working with complexity through long-term thinking and local grounding.

Overall, it reframes defence investment as part of a wider urban opportunity and highlights how collaboration, context, and openness can shape more resilient and place-based development.

A huge thank you to my thesis partner, Klara Dalgaard Reetz, for an inspiring collaboration throughout this process; to our supervisors, Iddo G. and Camilla Hedegaard Møller, for their guidance, support, and valuable feedback; and to everyone who generously shared their time, knowledge, and perspectives with us through interviews - among others Runa Sværd, Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq and Helena Lennert, PILU arkitekter! Finally, a special thank you to the Deans of Det Kongelige Akademi and Statens Kunstfond for making our fieldwork in Greenland possible!