HOVEL [hov-el] noun
: an open shed or shelter
– Merriam Webster
Conceived as a small shelter or hovel, S(Hovel) reimagines an everyday, off-the-shelf article of winter – the snow shovel – into a swirling vortex of mystery and intrigue that only reveals its true identity upon closer inspection and inhabitation. Built from 214 aluminum shovels and conventional ring-lock scaffolding, we challenged ourselves to design a warming hut that could be built and subsequently disassembled using unspecialized labour furnished with only a hammer and a hand drill!
Designed for disassembly, S(Hovel) is destined for a philanthropic afterlife in which, following its stint as a Warming Hut, the 214 shovels will be donated to Snow Angel Programs, non-profit charities that assist seniors and the infirm with snow removal each winter season. This circular life-cycle enables S(Hovel) to infiltrate the larger community of Winnipeg, enticing the multiple narratives of winter’s spectacle to unfold.