We were proud to be part of Jaan Krusberg’s team, along with Linda Tait for the interior signage at this important new research station, designed by Evoq Architecture of Montreal, QC. The Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) is located in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, and is a world class research facility that will attract leading researchers from around the world to Canada’s arctic region. Intu was involved in initial concept work for the signage and for the final installation in Cambridge Bay. Logistics for working in the high arctic emerged as a new challenge for us, as Cambridge Bay is accessible only by air, except for a single summer sealift.
The CHARS facility has some public spaces, denoted by the copper coloured signage, a nod to the Copper Inuit, native people of the area. Public interest signs were done in four languages, english, french, inuktitut and inuktitut syllabic. The building is a real showpiece of building technology, pushing the envelope of what can be achieved in a remote location on permafrost. The building plan was legible enough that dedicated wayfinding signage was not necessary.
