BERING STRAIT Competition, Bering Strait, USA/Russia

TERRA CONTINENS, INTERCONNECTION AND COMMUNICATION IN THE BERING STRAIT

In this contest, it was asked to create a Peace Park to reconnect the Americas and Asia, at the Bering Strait. In the middle of the Strait are two small islands, one American, one Russian. The link was to built on them.

How to create a connection between two continents with a symbolic impact in extreme conditions?

"Continent", from Latin, "continere" or "terra continens", which means "continuous land". Our inspiration comes from the simplicity of this etymology. Our work attempts to address this continuity between the two islands, revealing the land that emerged 20.000 years ago, and allowed the passage of men from Asia to America. Using the shallow sea between the two islands, we propose to create two ice walls, retaining water, and revealing the continuity of the land which defines the continent.

The Peace Museum is built on top of this new land. The different paths, from both Islands, intertwine and merge to form more than two directions, twining around each other in two spirals become one at the top. This symbolic passage between Asia and America is in exact parallel between today and tomorrow.

We propose to host in these endless spirals, the global organization for the environment, so that this Peace Museum is not only an indicator of past crises, but a real player in the future Peace.

LOCATION: Bering Strait, USA/RUSSIA
CLIENT: The Foundation for Peace and Unification
PROGRAM : Peace Museum, World Environmental Organization
SCOPE: International Competition approved by UIA, Union Internationale des Architectes
ASSOCIATED ARCHITECTS: Aurélie Quentin et Valère Paupelin Huchard
PROJECT AREA: 50.000 sq.m
PROJECT YEAR: 2009