Puvirnituq Airport

The Puvirnituq Airport services the villages along the eastern shores of Hudson Bay. Since air travel is the only way to reach Inuit communities of Nunavik, the local airport acts as the gateway to the village. In order to meet the growing passenger traffic, the airport runway was extended to accommodate the new Air Inuit 737 jet. Panaq designed the new air terminal, with most functions organized around the main waiting room, which also serves as an interior public space welcoming travellers and their families.

The community chose the qamotik (the traditional Inuit sled) as the design narrative for both the interior and exterior of the building. The public space further integrates the narrative into the artwork (sculpture and floor design) of local artist Peter Qumaluk Ittukalla. In addition to the technical challenges of building in Nunavik, our team instituted careful planning to ensure that all airport operations were maintained during construction.

*Nomination – 2013 Award of Excellence, Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC-Québec)