Need to escape reality for just a moment? Take a look at this piece of holiday-porn in Norway, close your eyes and pretend you’re there for a minute or two. What you’re looking at is called Svart, it’s a hotel that’s currently in the works at the foot of a giant glacier just above the arctic circle.
Svart touts 360° views of the arctic. Each room is positioned within the ring so that it looks out to the monumental glacier, the Almlifjellet mountain or Holandsfjorden fjord—which is a narrow inlet created by glaciers, often filled with a river. Its location is nothing short of idyllic, and a prime example of Scandi wilderness one would usually only be treated to in films.
It’s no doubt that Svart is easy to look at, but there’s far more than meets the eye to this hotel of the near future. Svart is a collaboration of several organisations, including architecture firm Snøhetta and Arctic Adventures of Norway, who together, are creating the first energy-positive hotel in the region, which basically means it will generate more renewable energy than required to build and operate—or, for numbers people, Svart will cut its energy use by around 85% less than a regular hotel.
The design of the building may look foreign, but its inspiration comes from the humble fishing shacks locals of the area would build and use to haul a catch. There are several immediately notable differences, like the size, and the undoubted creature comforts associated with luxury hotels; less apparent is the solar panelled roof and geothermal wells which will help achieve its sustainability goals.
Access to Svart will be by boat, with plans to transport guests via a shuttle ferry from the closest city, Bodø. Unfortunately, COVID-19 restrictions have put a pause on Svart’s completion, so eager travellers will still have a while to wait until at least late 2022, which will probably align with Australia’s border opening, anyway.
In the meantime, start planning your local escapes for the not-to-distant future here.
Image credit: Snøhetta