The Unbelievable Challenge: Re-Ice by Hanna Galas has been chosen as the 2021 winner

The winner of The Unbelievable Challenge 2021 ideas competition has been chosen. “Re-Ice,” submitted by Hanna Galas of Poland, was selected from a total of 18 entries and five finalists. She will receive a six-month fully paid internship at Polish architectural studio WXCA in Warsaw. Each finalist also received a €1,000 ($1,130) prize.

Organized by Ruukki, a supplier of steel-based building products and services for sustainable buildings, The Unbelievable Challenge called for creative designs by young architects and designers of a museum of snow on a plot in the Finnish city of Rovaniemi, aiming to raise awareness about climate change related to global warming, rising water levels, and endangered species. The competition wanted to find the best sustainable design, one that would also revitalize the museum’s surrounding environment. Santa Claus acted as the imaginary commissioner of the museum. 

Ruukki’s products had to be used in the entry, with the reusability and recyclability of the materials being key.

As detailed in the project description, Re-Ice “aims to encourage people to spend time in nature and bring people closer to water, ice and change.” It is a park complex with outdoor and indoor exhibitions that allow visitors to reflect on how human activities impact the environment. The concept provides visitors with a holistic experience. The proposed museum building is split into two structures that resemble ice blocks. An “educational path” meanders through the site and connects with the surrounding trails. There is also space for a swimming pool or ice rink, depending on the season, and all existing trees have been preserved.

“We found that the winner, Re-Ice, expressed thoughtful consideration of the big picture and the plot with its surroundings, making the whole area versatile and inviting, a place where you want to hang out during all seasons,” said Jury member Sipi Hintsanen, city architect for Rovaniemi.