Droog lab | Luxury of the north

Luxury of the North

date: 2010
location: Pond Inlet, Canada

topic: sustainability

local partner: University of Alberta

Luxury often involves a guilt-free indulgence of resources, whether this means eating too much, frequent flying or purchasing objects with a lot of money. Waste is often a consequence of luxury.
How does living in an extreme situation such as the Canadian North define
sustainability?

The Droog Lab will explore the cold and “empty” Canadian North in search for luxury, with the belief that sustainability can become the core of luxury goods, experiences and lifestyles. Aspects to be explored may include the local climate, population (whether human, animal or plant), food, transport, communication, culture, education, economy, etc. The result will be a new understanding of sustainability, inspired by the Canadian North.

Project team

Renny Ramakers, director (Droog)

Tim Antoniuk, partner (University of Alberta)

Cynthia Hathaway, leading designer

Winy Maas, leading designer (MVRDV, t?f)

Christien Meindertsma, designer (Flocks)

Pirjo Haikola, designer (The Why Factory)

Ole Bouman, consulting expert (Netherlands Architecture Institute)

Ed van Hinte, consulting expert

Agata Jaworska, content & project manager (Droog)

Katrin Murbach, Daniela Dossi, Libby Scarlett, Tom Merrell, lab interns (Droog)