40 6 8 12 11 14 16 22 26 28 34 38 40 44 50 52 54 58 60 64 68 70 72 74 78 80 82 88 92 108 110 114 115 116 120 124 126 134 146 148 150 152 154 156 160 168 170 174 178 190 192 196 200 204 208 216 220 224 228 230 232 244 246 258 258 The globe as common ground – From anThropocene To anThropocieTy! by Kent Martinussen belongs To all greenlanders – all ground is common ground by MiniK rosing crediTs map oF greenland map oF The world FuTure norTh 2050 interview: lawrence c. smiTh infographic: hisTorical Timeline organizing introduction by MiniK rosing why is Transparency greenland necessary? an interview with anders meilvang and anne meTTe chrisTiansen common knowledge a conversation with michael hardT independenT From whom? by boris brorMan jensen how i meT The presidenT oF by boris brorMan jensen human righTs by peter sutton infographic: greenland and alcohol infographic: demographic greenland inner landscapes by aMalia lynge pedersen dk–gl relaTions an interview with kirsTen ThisTed arcTico an interview with rolF Tamnes selF governance – auTonomy and originaliTy: who are The greenlanders? an interview with Jens dahl infographic: economy and The greenlandic shark as an exporT connecTing introduction by MiniK rosing language poliTics interview: ivalu søvndahl peTersen infographic: so close —so Far aparT interview: asii chemniTz narup sisimiuT seen From Facebook by frida foberg and Mie dinesen (aarch) greenland moTher cloud by Matthew jull and leena cho From cold war To arcTic baTTle? interview: klavs a. holm project: greenland connecTing migraTing introduction by MiniK rosing poinTs oF view by susan carruth infographic: occupaTion in greenland infographic: migraTion in greenland human perFormance, comForT and saFeTy in The cold by øystein nordruM wiggen and hilde færeviK aT The edge oF The world interview: børge ousland infographic: Tourism some recenT sTraTa oF sermersuaq: liFe on The world’s second largesT ice sheeT by Mason white project: greenland migraTing culTivaTing introduction by MiniK rosing The power oF imaginaTion by MiniK rosing why socieTies collapse by jared diaMond green(peace)land — To greenpeace on greenland by conditions organized by naTure, envisioning greenland: conTesTed naTureculTures in The making by carina ren exhibiTing greenland by david winfield norMan greenland as The avanT-garde oF posT-carbon and posT-growTh economies? by julia Martin infographic: growTh in greenland Fragile gianT, discussing greenland’s land value by alice labadini & barbara elisabeth ascher, illustrated by franz walter infographic: Farming project: greenland culTivaTing inhabiTing introduction by MiniK rosing organizing hope an interview with simon simonsen, asii chemniTz narup and hermann berThelsen armelle caron maps oF , sisimiuT and iTToqqorToormiiT by tina harrington, siv bøttcher, boris brorMan jensen and MiniK rosing liFe aT The edge oF The world by MiniK rosing infographic: archiTecTural Timeline land adminisTraTion in greenland by thoMas riis block p – The greenlandic selF-image by MiniK rosing housing For healTh, healThabiTaT, ausTralia by paul phoures The aesTheTics oF necessiTy by joar nango an indeFiniTe dynamic landscape by boris brorMan jensen, alexandra b. Madirazza and sanne y. søndergaard (aarch) infographic: greenlandic seasons project: greenland inhabiTing postscript move on! an interview with olaFur eliasson colophon abouT This publicaTion editorial

Nuuk: Monday, February 13th, 2012

How I Met My planned day of sightseeing with a local American the President guide around Nuuk has been cancelled because of bad weather. You don’t have to be of in Greenland for very long to realize that all activities Inatsisartut depend on the weather. It is very unpredictable, and things happen only if they are by boris brorman jensen possible. This is probably why Greenlanders have learned to say "perhaps" (Immaqa). “I will come round and pick you up Monday morning and give you a tour of Nuuk, immaqa.” Maybe that is the reason why Greenlanders are often accused of being fatalistic. This may to some extent be true, but anyone who mistakes a level-headed attitude to life with resignation or a lack of confidence in their own ability to act should take a trip to Greenland with “Immaqa Airlines,” in order to put their prejudices to the test. I can understand the pragmatic attitude to life you have to adopt here, but my nervous system tells me that I have difficulties “ Those who have dared venture accepting that the forces of out in the flooded streets of Nuuk smile nature continually overrule my plans. Being stranded on a to each other indulgently.” deserted island or being lost in the middle of the would be easier to accept. But this is the capital of Greenland, and right next to the hotel you can buy authentic Thai food as well as a freshly brewed cafe latte. Here, culture ought to rule supreme, but it does so only on the surface. Even in the center of the largest town of Greenland, nature always has a strong presence. It is always right there in your face, even when the weather is fine. People here don’t tend to complain a lot about the weather. The weather is a shared condition of life.

illustration by john iversen, aarch ORG AN iZING 42 6 8 12 11 14 16 22 26 28 34 38 40 44 50 52 54 58 60 64 68 70 72 74 78 80 82 88 92 108 110 114 115 116 120 124 126 134 146 148 150 152 154 156 160 168 170 174 178 190 192 196 200 204 208 216 220 224 228 230 232 244 246 258 258 The globe as common ground – From anThropocene To anThropocieTy! by Kent Martinussen greenland belongs To all greenlanders – all ground is common ground by MiniK rosing crediTs map oF greenland map oF The world FuTure norTh 2050 interview: lawrence c. smiTh infographic: hisTorical Timeline organizing introduction by MiniK rosing why is Transparency greenland necessary? an interview with anders meilvang and anne meTTe chrisTiansen common knowledge a conversation with michael hardT independenT From whom? by boris brorMan jensen how i meT The presidenT oF inaTsisarTuT by boris brorMan jensen human righTs by peter sutton infographic: greenland and alcohol infographic: demographic greenland inner landscapes by aMalia lynge pedersen dk–gl relaTions an interview with kirsTen ThisTed arcTico an interview with rolF Tamnes selF governance – auTonomy and originaliTy: who are The greenlanders? an interview with Jens dahl infographic: economy and The greenlandic shark as an exporT connecTing introduction by MiniK rosing language poliTics interview: ivalu søvndahl peTersen infographic: greenlandic language so close —so Far aparT interview: asii chemniTz narup sisimiuT seen From Facebook by frida foberg and Mie dinesen (aarch) greenland moTher cloud by Matthew jull and leena cho From cold war To arcTic baTTle? interview: klavs a. holm project: greenland connecTing migraTing introduction by MiniK rosing poinTs oF view by susan carruth infographic: occupaTion in greenland infographic: migraTion in greenland human perFormance, comForT and saFeTy in The cold by øystein nordruM wiggen and hilde færeviK aT The edge oF The world interview: børge ousland infographic: Tourism some recenT sTraTa oF sermersuaq: liFe on The world’s second largesT ice sheeT by Mason white project: greenland migraTing culTivaTing introduction by MiniK rosing The power oF imaginaTion by MiniK rosing why socieTies collapse by jared diaMond green(peace)land — To greenpeace on greenland by conditions organized by naTure, envisioning greenland: conTesTed naTureculTures in The making by carina ren exhibiTing greenland by david winfield norMan greenland as The avanT-garde oF posT-carbon and posT-growTh economies? by julia Martin infographic: growTh in greenland Fragile gianT, discussing greenland’s land value by alice labadini & barbara elisabeth ascher, illustrated by franz walter infographic: Farming project: greenland culTivaTing inhabiTing introduction by MiniK rosing organizing hope an interview with simon simonsen, asii chemniTz narup and hermann berThelsen armelle caron maps oF nuuk, sisimiuT and iTToqqorToormiiT by tina harrington, siv bøttcher, boris brorMan jensen and MiniK rosing liFe aT The edge oF The world by MiniK rosing infographic: archiTecTural Timeline land adminisTraTion in greenland by thoMas riis block p – The greenlandic selF-image by MiniK rosing housing For healTh, healThabiTaT, ausTralia by paul phoures The aesTheTics oF necessiTy by joar nango an indeFiniTe dynamic landscape by boris brorMan jensen, alexandra b. Madirazza and sanne y. søndergaard (aarch) infographic: greenlandic seasons project: greenland inhabiTing postscript move on! an interview with olaFur eliasson colophon abouT This publicaTion editorial

meantime. I must have been unable to home in , is invariably addressed corridor she draws me into a room with “ Back home in Denmark, all remaining nature is threatened hide my complete disillusionment, for the as "Your Royal Highness." In Greenland, Tuusi photos of various politicians on the walls. and has been placed under well-ordered systems of management. Here receptionist resolutely picks up the phone is just Tuusi. Knowledgeable, friendly and "Tuusi is an amazing human being, don't you and speaks a few words in Greenlandic. very interested in learning what I am doing think?" she asks in a subdued voice. "Well, the situation is still the exact opposite.” Shortly after, an employee emerges from in Greenland. I tell him about the Venice yes I do!" Imagine if it were possible to write a side door to accompany me around the exhibition and the project I am involved the openness he personifies into the future building. He is not a guide, and he does in. “Why do architects find it so difficult to constitution of Greenland. not speak Danish very well, and hardly understand the landscape of Greenland?” Back at the hotel I remember a any English at all, so we communicate he asks me. I promise to think about it text by Finn Lynge, another national father using few words and gestures. I have the and come up with an answer if I can find figure of Greenland. It was published as parliamentary hall all to myself, and I take one. In the course of the conversation he part of an anthology on the topic “Magt og my time photographing the room. rises a couple of times to print out some demokrati i Grønland” (Power and Democracy On the way, my taciturn companion pages about the journeys of Erik the Red in Greenland), but it can also be found at points out various paintings on the walls and the medieval that ’s web site (the Greenlandic without providing further comments, and he thinks I ought to read. It occurs to me government). Kunuk – op gennem tiden he shows me something that might be a that the catalog for the exhibition might be (Kunuk – Through Time) is the title, and it official meeting room. A little later, we stop designed as a travel narrative. A narrative starts like this: "A deep distaste for all kinds by a somewhat larger office. The secretary about how Greenland has transformed of chieftainship. Leading comrades through in the front office says something in my understanding of landscapes, towns, the power of the example. Taking care of the Greenlandic and an older gentleman comes networks and social spaces, about a world lowest in this society of equals, and having forward to meet me. He smiles and gives outside the realm of urban planning. the best of intentions on their behalf."1 The changing weather is, experiencing the northern lights. I have a do with inscribing the scene in my mind: me a very solid handshake. It turns out to We drink coffee and eat cake for I sincerely hope they will succeed. nevertheless, frustrating. Yesterday it was vague understanding of the phenomenon the nostalgic and commercial staging of the be the president of the , Josef an hour while we talk more about the 1 http://www.nanoq.gl/emner/landsstyre/selvstyre/ an absolutely perfect winter’s day. It was from physics lessons at school, but it has culture of the past by the tourism industry Motzfeldt. Cakes and coffee have just been current situation of Greenland, about the selvstyrekommissionen/debat/kommissionens_debatoplaeg/kunuk_-_ snowing, there was next to no wind, and never been embedded in my body as an as a photogenic backdrop for the young placed on the table, and he asks me to take relationship with Denmark and about the op_gennem_tiden_finn_lynge.aspx the temperature was minus ten degrees undisputed experience. It hits you with the Greenlander who is sucked into cyberspace. a seat. The meeting with the president of time Motzfeldt was a grammar school Celsius. Nuuk was wrapped in a thick white full power of surprise every time, just like Some day, I will probably have to buy a the Inatsisartut takes place without much student in my hometown Aarhus. "You must powdery blanket of snow that connected icebergs, which to me never cease to hold tupilak, but I feel just like that man at the ado, and I only gradually realize the rather come by and visit me in my home town the spaces between the houses, and which a terrifying beauty. Back home in Denmark, desk. In Greenland it is equally exciting, unusual nature of the situation. A chain of next time you are in Greenland. You really made the colored buildings stand out all remaining nature is threatened and has if not more, to look forward towards the cancellations, coincidence and incorrect have to experience the southern part of the in a friendly warm light. But during the been placed under well-ordered systems of future. information has led me straight into the country, which is very different from Nuuk," night, the direction of the wind changed management. Here the situation is still the After a while, the man looks arms of Tuusi, one of Greenland's most he says when I am leaving. Being invited to and the temperature increased by almost exact opposite. away from the monitor, catches my eye, charismatic national father figures. On the drink coffee with a president twice in less fifteen degrees to well above freezing. The It is my last day in Nuuk, and I feel and carefully asks me if he can be of any walls are pictures of Motzfeldt in company than one hour is a bit overwhelming. The attractive snowfall was transformed into the need for something to happen. The assistance. He turns out to be both friendly with the world's leading politicians, secretary offers to follow me back to the heavy rain early in the morning, and the Hotel cable-television system must be and helpful, and he informs me that there including the Danish monarch, who, back reception. While we are walking down the streets were completely flooded. Below the affected by the invading masses of water, is a free, guided tour of the parliament rivers of melt water there is an invisible as it shows nothing but porn movies— every day at 14:00. He also recommends layer of ice, which makes it very risky to no local news, no weather forecasts, no that I spend some of the waiting time at move around on foot. The roadside ditches American series, not even CNN. I decide to the National Museum, which is just a little are full, and it is impossible to see where defy the weather and head down to the further down the road. They have real the pavement ends and where the meters tourist office. I would like to see Inatsisartut mummies; Qivitoq, a Danish romance film deep canals begin. There is about twenty (the parliament of Greenland) from inside, featuring Poul Reichhardt on DVD (do not to thirty centimeters of water right outside and I will try to book a guided tour. Those be mistaken, it IS actually interesting); and the hotel's main entrance—a bit more than who have dared venture out in the flooded plenty of literature on life in Greenland my new polar boots can handle. The hotel streets of Nuuk smile to each other today. receptionist apologizes with a smile and indulgently. This rainy Monday morning, the When I leave, I am content. I have a talks about the foehn winds. He has got tourist office is far from busy. The desk is new plan for the day, and I fight my way to more than enough on his hands. Water is unmanned, but a man sits at a desk in front the National Museum through the town's gushing out of the light fittings in the back of a poster depicting tupilaks while looking chaos of melt water. The museum turns out corridor. Outside, a guy from the hotel is at a computer monitor. From the corner of to be closed every Monday. The remaining struggling to manage Euro-pallets that my eye I can see that he is on Facebook. I days of the week the museum does not provide a kind of gangway leading from have brought my camera with me in a bag open until 13:00, so the suggestion from the the roadway to the hotel. On the steps slung across my shoulder, and I feel an urge man at the tourist office would in any case of the supermarket next door, a group of to capture the whole scene: a young man have been impossible to realize. I decide men are drinking beer. They have clearly surrounded by historic artifacts, but his to double-check his information directly been at it for quite some time, and they whole attention directed at a new social at the reception desk in the entrance to seem to be welcoming the situation as a reality. My own self-awareness prevents Inatsisartut. Here the receptionist tells distraction. I am only familiar with foehn me from taking photos. I am trying to retain me that there is a tour every day at 13:00. winds from my holidays in Switzerland, and my self-esteem by being a discreet tourist. Obviously, tourist offers are not completely it is completely unreal to feel the warm My camera rests in a regular bag, and I synchronized in Nuuk. When I come back wind coming from the ice sheet in the am most at ease looking like any man you a few hours later, the tour is cancelled ORG illustration by mateja vrlic (student at aarhus school of architecture, aaa) middle of an Arctic winter. It is a bit like might encounter on the street, so I make because the guide has taken ill in the AN iZING