Abstract: An island adapted to be put into place in arctic regions in a body of water having a soil layer below water level and above a permafrost line. In one form of the island, an island body is placed on the soil layer, the island body comprising a number of vertically stacked layers of freezable material, the bottom of each layer having a freeze panel adjacent thereto in heat exchange relationship therewith. A coolant flowing through the panels causes the soil layer and the freezable layers to freeze, the coolant source being on the island body at any suitable location. The island body surrounds a recess which also contains several layers of freezable material separated by freeze panels adapted to receive a coolant for flow in heat exchange relationship to the freezable layers. By freezing the freezable layers, the island body is provided with a monolithic construction and the island body is bonded to the soil layer.