Snøhetta, in collaboration with Arctic Adventure of Norway and the Powerhouse Collaboration, are creating the first building in a northern climate to be built according to the energy positive Powerhouse standard. The building, a circular hotel dubbed “Svart,” will reduce its yearly energy consumption by approximately 85% compared to a traditional hotel and will also produce its own energy.
The hotel will be built in northern Norway near the Svartisen glacier. The hotel’s circular body will extend from the shoreline by the foot of the Almlifjellet Mountain and into the waters of the Holandsfjorden fjord. The design is inspired by a “fiskehjell” (an A-shaped wooden structure for drying fish) and a “rorbue” (a traditional type of seasonal house used by fisherman).
The rorbue inspiration can be seen in the hotel’s supporting structure, which is built from weather-resistant wooden poles that rise from several meters below the surface of the fjord. The poles ensure the building creates a minimal footprint in the environment. The poles also create a wooden boardwalk for visitors that can be used to store boats and kayaks, reducing the need for other storage structures.
This is an excerpt from an article originally published by Building Desing & Construction.
