Norway’s futuristic Svart Hotel will sit on a remote Arctic fjord – imagine the views
Luxury will meet adventure in a remote Norwegian hotel set right at the edge of a black glacier.
If the eye-catching design is not enough, consider its eco-friendly origins – and its broader location: Svart Hotel is set to be the world’s first energy-positive hotel above the Arctic Circle when it opens in 2021.
In fact, according to the hotel, a collaboration between Arctic Adventure of Norway, architecture firm Snohøetta, and Powerhouse, it will use 85 per cent less energy than a traditional hotel – in addition to producing its own energy.
The hotel will be in northern Norway, in the Meløy municipality at the foot of the Svartisen glacier. For frame of reference, that’s about 1,287 kilometres (800 miles) north of Oslo, the capital of Norway.
The location also served as inspiration for the project in more ways than one.
“Building an energy-positive and low-impact hotel is an essential factor to create a sustainable tourist destination respecting the unique features of the plot: the rare plant species, the clean waters and the blue ice of the Svartisen glacier,” said Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Founding Partner at Snøhetta, in the hotel’s statement.
Though it isn’t set to open until 2021, the zoning plan was approved by Meløy in October, and, judging by its sleek design, it’s likely to quickly lodge itself on to lists of hotels everyone has to visit in their lifetimes.
Here’s a look at the project.
The hotel’s circular frame will extend from the shoreline and into the Holandsfjorden fjord in northern Norway.
The distinctive shape will give guests panoramic views of the landscape.
The name of the hotel itself is a nod to its surroundings: svart means “black” in Norwegian, which is a tribute to the dark colour of the Svartisen glacier’s ice.
Because the hotel is located above the Arctic Circle, winter nights are long – which means they could afford the perfect opportunity for revelling in the beauty of the Northern Lights.
Every element of the hotel’s design is part of a carefully constructed plan. The poles of the hotel, visible in the rendering below, will have dual use throughout the seasons.
In the summer, they’ll function as a boardwalk, and in the winter, they’ll function as kayak storage.
In fact, kayakers will even be able to paddle directly under the hotel – but that’s far from the only outdoor activity available to guests.
On its website, Svart Hotel bills itself as an Arctic adventure destination, where guests can “practise yoga in the midnight sun, dive in spectacular waters and harvest local delicacies”.
Ice climbing, night fishing, and paddling are some of the other adventure sports.
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Guests get to enjoy kayaking, midnight yoga and the Northern Lights at the energy-positive property