Svart Hotel’s Circular Architecture Is Energy Efficient

By Aysia Reed

Located in one of the most remote areas in Europe is the Svart Hotel, right at the base of the Svartisen glacier in Northern Norway.

The circular resort floats on stilts and is located off the grid. The main goal of the unconventional hotel is to promise the preservation of nature and the Arctic Circle and to be energy-positive. The Svart will be ready to open in 2022.

The critical design of the hotel will allow for 85% of the hotel’s own energy to be put back into the Svart, and the boat operation to the resort. Many hotels use wasteful steel, brick, and concrete to construct their building, but Svart Hotel is reducing the amount of these products in order to prevent an abundance of CO2 emissions.

The roofing of the circular resort will be made entirely of hydro-energy-produced solar panels, and the architects behind Svart have strategically researched how solar energy functions in the alpine region year-round.

The circular layout bestows beaming energy from the sun annually, no matter the time of day or season.

Stone and wood are used to support the glass to be more ecologically friendly, and they are easier to replace and repair in case they need some fixing.

Panoramic views of the Northern Lights, the Svartisen glacier, and the inlet of the sea can be seen through the glass-fronted architecture of the building.

100 Rooms in a Circle

Just around 100 rooms will fill the hallways of Svart Hotel.

Four restaurants will be at the hotel, and they have options for guests to participate in their farm fresh-to-table harvest. The restaurants will be designed to be able to capture heat and supply water functions.

Nordic and sound therapy treatments will be provided at the 3,300 square foot relaxing indoor-outdoor spa, which all reflect on the practices of traditional Norwegian medical treatments. Holistic treatments, such as spending a day in the mountainous wildlands, doing yoga, or ice climbing the snowy glaciers, will also be available.

The bottom of the circular design is an open path space that can be utilized in public areas and the public park.

The design library will allow guests to uncover the engineering and brilliant science beyond Svart for educational purposes. The library will also demonstrate how sustainability operates and how it is incorporated into the hotel.

For any restrooms in the hotel, the water will be recirculated to make sure the water supply is going back as clean as possible when it goes back into nature.

To get to and from the inventive hotel, 2 electric boats will be utilized to haul visitors back and forth.

Day and Night, Cold and Warm

No matter what the time or season, Svart Hotel has thrilling outdoor expeditions for all.

During the summertime, ride horses or mountain bikes atop the rolling hills. Lofty ridges and glacier ice tunnels invite you to explore.

You can also check out deep-sea fish in the glistening glacier lake, or simply savor the indigo-colored mountains.

No matter what your activity, the grand highland of the Svartisen glacier will always be in sight.

This is especially true during the winter months.

During chilly days, a plethora of gratifying experiences is offered. The Northern Lights can be spotted during this time and can be admired from inside Svart, or outside in the icy atmosphere.

For lake exploration, guests are encouraged to partake in ice-water swimming.

For thrill-seekers, venture out on cross country skis or climb the Svartisen glacier.

The Svartisen has 60 glacier tongues and is Norway’s second-largest glacier. The volume of Svartisen fluctuates up and down over the course of the years.

Speaking of hiking, explore the Fykantrappa—a steep staircase built in 1919.

The staircase has 1,132 steps and spirals around the side of a mountain, offering a difficult journey.

Yet, the payoff of the trip is worth it when you get to see a bird’s eye view from the mountain of Northern Norway.

Atop of the mountain is also the Rallarbrakka cabin, where local food and drinks are served inside the historically themed restaurant.

Where is the Svart Hotel Right Now?

Right now, Svart Hotel has completed the zoning planning stage.

Construction is now focused on the finalization of work and detail designs of the hotel.

The Northern Norway region is extremely delicate when it comes down to sustainability, so the building team wants to guarantee that they are living up to their own standards by carefully analyzing their impact and monitoring their impression they are creating in the area.

The architectural team has been working closely with the community to get an insight into the energy and recycling aspect of the sector to assure that they are not damaging the nature of Norway.

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