"The igloo, also spelled "iglu," and sometimes called an aputiak, is a temporary winter shelter built by native Eskimos primarily for use in winter hunting camps. In their native language, Eskimos call themselves Inuit, meaning "the people." They inhabit much of the Arctic from as far west as the Aleutian Islands of Alaska to as far east as the western coastline of Greenland.

"The igloo structure most likely evolved through trial and error over hundreds of years, and without the aid of mathematics or structural engineering theory. Historically, they have been constructed Ñ using a long, sharp blade knife to cut snow block Ñ primarily by Canadian and Greenland Inuit living in Canada in the area between the Mackenzie River delta and Labrador." — Norbert E. Yankielun, ArchitectureWeek No. 361