After success of CIRRUS 1st summer school in Norway, Sykkylven, Estonian Academy of Arts’, Department of Interior Architecture in collaboration with Estonian State Forest Management Centre and CIRRUS/Nordplus network announces a call for applications to: 

5th Season Wilderness Summer School
July 29th – August 7th, 2016
Soomaa, Estonia

Context

Beautiful Soomaa (in English: swampland), situated in Estonia, consists of large raised bogs, flood-plain grasslands, paludified forests and meandering rivers. The territory of the Soomaa National Park is mostly covered with large mires, separated from each other by the rivers of the Pärnu River basin – Navesti, Halliste, Raudna and Lemmjõgi rivers. Life in Soomaa depends more on climate than anywhere else in Estonia. When vast amounts of water run down the uplands in springs, the rivers of Soomaa cannot contain it all. The water flows over flood-plain grasslands and forests and covers roads, disrupting connection with the rest of the world. In some years, the spring floods have risen by a meter a day for 3–4 days, quickly claiming roads, fields, and on occasion, homes. At the maximum flood level the water-covered area can be 7–8 km in diameter. Steep-sloped, raised bogs stand as islands in the water. The flood has been named the Fifth Season of Soomaa, and Karuskose, Soomaa will be the location of this unique Summer School.

Brief

The 5th Season Wilderness Summer School will be a deep and intensive examination into the minimum (spatial) necessities for humans in extreme conditions and also a testground for co-creation and construction inspired by wet conditions and locality. As the result of the Summer School, the bottomless bogs and overflowing rivers of Soomaa will be offered an island, a steady pause, a solid ground for the wanderer. The artistic floating object needs to create new values in very delicate surroundings. The object should continue to function during the highest water levels of the 5th Season, but can be tested out during the workshop on a river. The workshop will deal with movement motion – vertical and horizontal. The piece itself will be constructed during the workshop out of timber. The wooden installation will be a part of larger network of forest infrastructure organised by the State Forest Management Centre of Estonia.

Why you shouldn’t miss it

The summerschool will be tutored by an international team of architects, representing both practice and academia. The tutors will work alongside the participants guiding them through a complete architectural project — concept development, design, prototyping and construction of life–size installation in wilderness. The hands-on workshop will be unique opportunity to practice off-grid woodwork. The installation will most probably receive wide publicity like we have experienced before and will stay open for the public.

Tutors:
B210 Architects
Sami Rintala
Pavle Stamenovic

Preliminary Schedule

28th July, Thursday. Arrival day.
29th July, Friday
Introduction and lectures about Estonia, its forests – creating context
30th July, Saturday
Hike / trip in the area
Sketching first ideas under tutors guidance
31th July, Sunday
Abstract tasks for developing space
Research about the object and mapping
Designing an object
1st August, Monday
Final production of the proposals
Choosing 1-2 proposals for construction
Forming groups
1st-6th of August
Construction of the object
7th of August, Sunday
Object Opening Ceremony

EXTENDED DEADLINE! Apply here due June 20, 2016!
(https://goo.gl/GnAfaW)
Seats: 15
Application is open for students of architecture, interior architecture and design.

All applicants will be contacted about acceptance/denial due June 22, 2016
Evaluation committee:
In case of high volume of applications the decision will be made by EAA’s organising committee with Prof Hannes Praks leading the process.

Scholarship:
CIRRUS/Nordplus will cover student scholarship according to the Nordplus rules (70 EUR week + travel grant 330 EUR, Iceland 660 EUR) for travel, local transport and food.
Fee for cost of living: 200 EUR (expected to be payed for from the scholarship) includes:
– modest accommodation,
– meals,
– materials and tools for workshops,
– field trips

ECTS: 3

Contact person about the programme and content: Aet Ader
Contact person during the summer school (content, management, daily issues): Natalie Mets

Compulsory texts, films, music
“Estonian space. Thoughts on magical architecture”, Mikita, Valdur. Estonian Architectural Review. 05.08.2014
the list will be extended in June