In northern Norway, the national park Saltfjellet-Svartisen expands from fjord to mountain in Salten, Nordland. The glacier Svartisen covers one fifth of the national park. At the foot of the mountain, the luxury hotel Svart (Black) is to be built. You can only get there by sea.
Start of construction is estimated next year. Architect firm Snøhetta is responsible for the project, and the architects have sky-high and environmentally friendly ambitions.
The theme of the project is nature and the building will become a so-called powerhouse, which means that the hotel is going to generate energy with what it consumes. This also applies to the energy that is included in the construction, as well as removal of material.
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The building will use 85 percent less energy than a typical modern hotel. “This will be the world’s most environmentally friendly hotel,” says architect Zenul Khan to the Norwegian D2 magazine.
The hotel is what the creators consider the luxury hotel of the future: an accommodation close to unspoiled nature and wildlife experiences.
One of the most important challenges for Snøhetta has been to chart how sunlight hits the area, to be able to store the solar energy with maximum efficiency, a very important issue, since the hotel is built above the polar circle with almost no sun in the winter months.
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The circular wood-shaped hotel has a panoramic view of the fjord through its many large windows, providing proximity to nature. Inspired by the area’s traditional fishermen’s cabins and drying facilities for fish, the carrying system consists of wooden piles.
Guest will only be able to arrive by boat at a pier located inside the circle. It will be possible to paddle under the construction, both at high and low water.
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Snøhetta is Norway’s most famous architectural firm. Among other projects, they have been responsible for the Opera House in Oslo and the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York.
The World’s Most Environmentally Friendly Luxury Hotel to be Built in Norway, written by Tor Kjolberg