Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Fall 2016 | Page 26
G R EEN A R C H I TE C TU R E
PHOTOS AT LEFT AND ABOVE COURTESY OF DAN HARPER
Sputnik
Winnipeg, MB - The corner of Portage and
Main in the dead of winter has been jokingly
referred to as one of the most inhospitable places
on Earth. This stretches the truth more than a
little. But the city of Winnipeg at any point in
time between mid-November and mid-March
does have the capacity for intolerable cruelty.
Little wonder, then, that home base for one
of Canada’s most innovative architectural firms
should be less than three kilometres away from
the infamous intersection. “Wind and light and
cold are the primary elements that start to infer
themselves on the shapes and the way our buildings
are put together,” says Peter Hargraves, one of
the founders of Sputnik Architecture Inc.
This common-sense approach to the requirements
of a given structure have placed the firm at
the forefront of environmental design and,
somewhat ironically given the company name,
placed Sputnik on solid ground with clients and
critics alike.
“We look back at the people who lived here
before and the buildings they came up with are
beautiful and quite technical and respond well
to the environmental conditions,” Hargraves
adds. “We need to challenge ourselves to look at
that and be confident that we’re going to be a bit
less interested in importing styles and designs
from California that make no sense here.”
26 six star magazine
PHOTOS NEAR RIGHT AND FAR RIGHT: COURTESY OF SPUTNIK ARCHITECTURE
Architecture INC.
Philosophy
Follow the 7 R rule — reduce,
reuse, recycle, remember, relate,
restore and revive
Next big project
A tiny cottage development
project in Kenora; energy- and
space-efficient fun at the lake
The state of eco-friendly
architecture today
Improving as people grow aware
that everything they do matters
Claim to fame
Our Warming Huts appeared on
The Rick Mercer Show