The Village of Carmacks, Yukon, had long been without a fully-functional ice arena. This new indoor ice arena is designed to provide a key active recreation and enhanced community space adjacent to the existing Carmacks Recreation Centre. The enhanced Recreation Centre can now accommodate more community functions, including indoor hockey, curling tournaments, broomball tournaments and other seasonal activities.

Due to the community’s valley setting, cold, still air often occupies the local area during the long winter months. The building features well-insulated metal panels that stabilize temperatures during winters that can often drop below -50 Celsius.

The light box cantilevered off the front façade of the structure delineates the vertical circulation in the building, provides natural light for a children’s play area and brings brightness and activity to an otherwise dark, unlit corner of the village.