Located in the spectacular and unique landscape of Longyearbyen, Svalbard and designed by world renown architects, Snøhetta and expert experiential designers Tellart, The Arc will be an open, attractive and inclusive hub in Longyearbyen, where locals and visitors can learn and be inspired.

The Arc will showcase content from the Arctic World Archive (AWA), a joint initiative between Piql and Store Norske Kullkompani Spitzbergen that aims to preserve the world’s digital heritage, and the Global Seed Vault – the world’s largest secure seed storage.

Piql, a key contributor in the feasibility study and design of the centre, will enhance operations in Svalbard to coincide with the project.

In addition, the visitor centre will provide its audience with insights into how the Svalbard Archipelago’s unique geology has transformed over millions of years, in collaboration with the Norwegian Natural History Museum.

The Arc aims to educate and inspire innovative preservation solutions for the world’s food and digital resources. It emphasizes the value of the unique climatic and political stability of Svalbard, and is a metaphor for how we must care of our world’s resources for future generations to come.

Piql’s Managing Director, Rune Bjerkestrand said that this project is significant on many levels.

‘Not only does this allow visitors to the arctic a chance to interact with AWA’s collection, it also raises awareness of preservation and how what we do now impacts on the future’. ‘Piql is proud to be involved in this project and we can’t wait to invite our clients to The Arc in the future’.

Read more about the project here.