The Sampling Hut

A shelter on a frozen river reveals a hidden natural history

The Sampling Hut proposal reveals abundant life in the seemingly dead winter landscape of the Assiniboine Credit Union River Trail.
As one in a series of installations along the frozen river, the project provides a place to celebrate, experience and learn about the hidden life along the frozen river.

Samples of river ice and snow from the Winnipeg area are collected and displayed in the structure, revealing that a myriad of life in every drop of water. Understanding what microorganisms make this place their home could help secure the biodiversity of the region for the future.  
Sampling is a participatory activity with the local public and tourists, and the Hut connects art, science and the wider public.At the end of the season, scientists from the University of Manitoba are invited to look at the samples and identify what is contained, hoping that they can discover unforeseen species.