Uplifting Architecture

In pursuit of a life long dream, my family attempted to build an igloo last week after there was a big snow. My husband prayed that it would work out and it did! Well to tell you the truth, he really did pretty much all the work himself. He used a medium plastic rectangular storage bin to make the snow bricks and laid the circular foundation (leaving a space for the entry way) and then upon it, built diminishing circles and finally ended in a spiral. It took him about 4 or 5 hours. The Inuit actually cut the bricks for their igloos out of dry packed snow with a sharp knife and then they might even cart it to the location of where they want to build it. Building an igloo takes 2 Inuit men about a half an hour but for a boy's rite of passage, it takes much longer - as we've seen here.

The process reminded me of Brunelleschi's (Broo-nell-eski) dome for the chiesa of Santa Maria del Fiore because during the whole building period there was a great deal of doubt and worry. Can this be done? Will it collapse? Is it being done correctly? Should there be scaffolding?

We held up the top of the entry way with a large round garbage can and removed it when the igloo was done. An inuit would build the igloo around himself and cut his way out.

Two days later, it snowed again at least 2 feet. That's why, you can't tell that it's made out of snow bricks anymore. The snow on it is heavy but it is still standing. This is the arch principle in action like in classical times. Apparently Brunelleschi studied the Pantheon intensely.

In contrast to our little igloo, Brunelleschi used about 4 million bricks. We used about 80 but our bricks are much bigger. Another difference is that his dome was based upon an octagon and ours is a circle. Like ours, he used no scaffolding.

It's hard to believe that people actually live in igloos but igloo dwellers claim they are warm. No one sits directly on the ice or snow. Animal skins and furs cover the floor and ice bench entirely and there is a very safe and protected feeling inside like in church. When sitting inside an igloo, you can't help but look up in wonder. When doing so, there is an inspiring view that leads one's eyes towards the heavens much like in Brunelleschi's dome. Prayer is inevitable: "Please God, don't let this structure collapse on my head . . ."