Arctic ecotrail
"Barefoot Across the Tundra"

In northern Russia, most people believe that this is where the edge of the Earth lies, but once you find yourself in the tundra of the Nenets Nature Reserve, you can see for yourself that the opposite is true—this is where the Earth begins!

We were tasked with producing, delivering, and installing a waterfront recreation area, information stands, and stylized navigation signage.

The eco-trail infrastructure was installed in the middle of summer during the “round-the-clock” polar day, in collaboration with state inspectors from the Nenets Nature Reserve and a team of volunteers.

The egg-shaped figures, like those on the reserve's logo, serve as stylized “navigation” along the route. This solution minimizes the distortion of the natural landscape, while the art objects add a touch of surrealism and set the mood for the route.

As a result, a spacious pier and an egg-shaped toilet, a modern stand about the history of the territory, and incredible navigation appeared in the permafrost of the tundra of the Nenets Nature Reserve on the Kost-Nos Peninsula in the Barents Sea.

The project also included the creation of exhibitions dedicated to the preservation of Arctic biodiversity, which were subsequently placed and installed in public places in the city of Naryan-Mar and surrounding areas: at the city airport, the Local History Museum, and the tourist center.

A special waterproof guidebook has been created for the “Barefoot Across the Tundra” eco-trail, featuring detailed maps of the route and nature reserve, as well as a whole set of tasks designed to help visitors learn about the unique Arctic nature.

The design of the guidebook has a fresh, tart “flavor” of northern berries and is slightly “crunchy,” like white reindeer moss. We were inspired by the Soviet atlas “The World and Man” (1988), which has nurtured more than one generation of travelers.

The guidebook was produced in two versions: a “travel” version with waterproof plastic pages that can be used on the go in any weather, and a “gift” version on designer paper with hand-stitched pages and a die-cut cover.

The curious swan Yuss, mascot of the Nenets Nature Reserve and “hero of the tundra,” appeared to accompany travelers through the pages of the guidebook. The character is anthropomorphic, somewhat cartoonish, and a little childlike.

Its touching prototype is a tundra swan chick. We tried to preserve as much lightness and playfulness as possible in depicting situations familiar to every traveler: with a camera, binoculars, and walking across the vast expanses of the tundra.