Warming Huts: Celebrating a Decade of Art and Architecture on Winnipeg's Frozen Rivers

"Warming Huts: a decade + of art and architecture on ice" provides an in-depth exploration of the Warming Huts project, an annual installation featuring art and architecture on the frozen rivers in Winnipeg, Canada. Initiated in 2010 with five collaborative huts created by architects and artists, the project has grown significantly. By 2011, it had expanded into an international design competition, with three winning huts added annually. Today, over 30 huts grace the icy terrain each year, promoting active winter recreation and enhancing the well-being of those who brave the cold to enjoy this unique outdoor art exhibit.

The publication captures every hut ever constructed, showcasing not only design competition winners but also works by esteemed visual artists such as Frank Gehry Associates, Anish Kapoor, and more. It features collaborations with artists across disciplines, including Inuk throat-singer Tanya Tagaq and filmmaker Guy Maddin. Additionally, participant groups from the University of Manitoba and local high schools, as well as "rogue" or unofficial huts, are represented. The book documents each structure through dynamic photography and includes process images like sketches and construction shots, supported by detailed maps and analytical breakdowns.

Accompanied by nearly 800 vivid images spread over 140 full-colour pages, the book also features critical essays that contextualize the huts within social, historical, and artistic frameworks. These texts consider the initiative's local significance and its role in the global public art sphere. By emphasizing the intertwining elements of poetics and politics in public spaces, the publication celebrates the architectural narratives embodied in these winter structures while acknowledging their contribution to Winnipeg's cultural landscape and the city's international recognition.

The release of the book follows the Warming Huts' receipt of the National Urban Design Award for Community Initiatives, highlighting the impact of the project spearheaded by Sputnik Architecture Inc. and The Forks Renewal Corporation. This award underscores the community-focused creativity that has transformed Winnipeg's rivers into vibrant winter spaces. Now entering its second decade, Warming Huts continues to expand its horizons, with this publication offering a timely acknowledgment of its achievements and future potential, positioning Winnipeg as an international hub for innovative public art.

Purchasing: This book can be bought at favourite bookstores, online in North America directly from UBC Press or University of Chicago Press, and in Europe and China from Combined Academic Publishers.

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