Fogo Island lies outside of Newfoundland, Canada and is home to a gentle, independent people who have lived for centuries between wind and waves in pursuit of fish. The Shorefast Foundation works with the people of Fogo Island to find ways to preserve this special place and this special culture.
Saunders Architecture from Norway has designed three artist studios in the area. The studios are built in remote settings on Fogo Island and traditional Newfoundland homes in various communities have been restored to become artists' residences. Artists will come from around the world to live and work in the area for months at a time.
The idea behind the forms of the various studios was to create a bold geometric structure to starkly contrast, yet lay silently in the striking natural environment. The main concept behind the layout of the artist studios was to observe the surrounding environment during its transition through the various seasons in which the studios will be in use: spring, summer and fall.
The studios are all oriented towards the sea and elevated above the ground to provide the resident artist with a feeling of being unobstructed and unbound. The materials and construction methods chosen reflect that of the local architecture of Fogo Island. The environment will leave its marks on the studios by weathering the structures over time. All studios are 100% off-the-grid and produce their own power and recycle of their own waste.
The three studios are called The Long Studio, The Tower Studio and The Bridge Studio. All located on various dramatic sites.
