The first “energy positive” hotel will be built on the Arctic circle. The building is designed to generate energy autonomously and to even produce more than it needs.

Its name, Svart meaning “black” in Norwegian, is related to its future location. The ecological hotel will be constructed at the foot of one of the largest glaciers in Norway, Svartisen, “the black glacier”.

It will be 100% sustainable; using solar panels and strategic positioning, the building will create its own energy, consuming 85% less compared to a modern, standard hotel. The walls will be heated with geothermal wells and all the materials used to construct the hotel will be ecological, chosen for their low environmental impact.

In the design process, the architects started by mapping how solar radiation interacted with the mountainous environment throughout the year, in order to optimise the collection of the sun’s natural energy. Its circular design was the result.

Its shape is inspired by a ‘fiskehjell’: a wooden A-shape structure that is used for drying fish and ‘rorbue’: a traditional wooden house used by fishermen. The hotel’s support structure is constructed with weather-resistant wooden poles and is located several meters below the water level. These poles guarantee the building will have little impact on the natural surroundings.

The building, which extends from the coast situated at the foot of the Almlifjellet mountain, up to the crystalline waters of the Holandsfjorden fjord enjoys impressive panoramic views.

The project is a collaboration between Arctic Adventure of Norway and the international design and architectural company Snøhetta. The hotel is expected to open its doors in 2021.