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Light show on air field: Botwood, Nfld.

by ERA Architects

As part of the recent Culture of Outports project, our team of ERAers and Ryerson students has been collaborating with residents of Botwood Newfoundland for several days. In addition to meals, tours, history lessons, and collaborative design charrettes, the team got together to install dozens of ice candles (made by residents especially for our visit) to illuminate a strip of Botwood’s historic airfield.

A major piece of infrastructure, and the chosen site for our first winter community build, the airfield and base served an important role in Canada’s operations in WWII, as well as local import-export economies. Our modest intervention with homemade ice candles serves as a  way to bring the community together and reanimate the air field in preparation for the larger build.

The design we are working towards building on the airfield takes inspiration from two weather stations onsite, and makes a circulatory and visual connection to the crash site of the Excalibur, a flying boat that came down in 1942 just after take off.

The design will incorporate a path and view corridors, a screen from the wind and sun, and a place to sit.

Stay tuned for reports and images of the final build. And for ongoing details on the process of community engagement, design, and build, please see CultureOfOutports.com.

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