ice tools sputnik architecture
At Sputnik Architecture we put together ice structures and sculptures every winter, including Anish Kapoor’s 2017 Stackhouse warming hut, and multiple sculptures and ice chutes around Winnipeg. We have learned many techniques from an ice artist in Norway, Luca Roncoroni, who has built many warming hut projects. We start by harvesting the ice, cutting it out of rivers and lakes with chainsaw, ice tongs, skip steers and tractors. Then we use an array of specialised tools to stack and carve the ice. The tools are mostly self-made or adapted from conventional chisels. Speicial ice carving chisels have to be kept unbelievably sharp — the slightest flaw in the blade can ruin the ice surface. This articulated chainsaw was developed in Winnipeg for harvesting ice en masse. Dave Froese, a former combine harvester repairman and several others from The Forks maintenance team, with some input from Sputnik, mounted a chainsaw onto a hydraulic arm they built, which is mounted on a skip steer. That’s Peter Hargraves in the orange toque, guiding the saw to cut dozens of blocks at a time.
Sputnik Architecture
on site review 39: Tools 28
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