Weather in Winnipeg during the months of January and February can be extremely cold with temperatures reaching below – 30C. Thus, teams are encouraged to engage the effects of solar radiation, wind chill, and the constantly shifting landscape of the snow-covered river. The depth of the ice on the Assiniboine and Red River at the end of January can be as deep as 1 meter thick.

The intersection of the two rivers historically has made the area a popular meeting place for over 6,000 years. In recent times, the site has developed into a popular destination for tourists and locals alike, with over four million visitors annually.

The fabrication and installation of the selected huts is an ongoing collective project that Anvil Tree looks forward to every year. We love working with designers from all over the world to bring their visions to fruition for the exciting moment of exhibition on the ice. We see our involvement in this annual competition as a celebration of a critical body of work foregrounding the poetics and politics of public space, while highlighting the variety of architectural narratives expressed in the Huts.