- BIVI
- October 2020
- Winnipeg Warming Huts Competition 2021 – Entrant
- Catherine He and Julie An
A triage of lanterns sways in the cold winter breeze, illuminating bright orange forms resting on the ice. You sink into the seats and pull the chord, extending the lantern down, around you. Solitary in the shelter you peer out at the people passing by, for once comforted by the separation. The growing warmth around you lulls your mind to memories of tents and campfires…
As you raise the enclosure to leave, the air you’ve warmed is exhaled, refreshing the space for the next visitor.
BIVI is a passive heating installation that utilizes radiated body heat for warmth.
Lightweight, performance fabrics are used in a double-skinned enclosure that reflects body heat and promotes ventilation. Interstitial mesh layers trap air-pockets which are warmed by solar radiation. Rings of varying diameters embedded within the skin create a playful form. An integrated pulley system allows the user to raise and lower the shelter.