Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta has unveiled plans for a new circular hotel, creating a minimum footprint on Norway's arctic land - the hotel will be the world's first energy positive hotel concept above the arctic circle.

Named Svart, the hotel concept is developed in collaboration with Arctic Adventure of Norway, a company aiming to become a pioneer of sustainable tourism in Northern Norway, Asplan Viak and Skanska, 

The Svart will be built at the foot of the Svartisen glacier that runs through Meløy municipality in northern Norway and the project takes its name directly from the natural heritage of Svartisen, its precious glacier and its natural surroundings. "The name “Svart”, meaning "black" in Norwegian, is a direct tribute to the deep blue ice of Svartisen and the Svartisen name," stated Snøhetta.

Snøhetta's new hotel not only will reduce its yearly energy consumption by approximately 85% compared to a modern hotel, but it will also produce its own energy - an absolute “must” in this precious arctic environment, the architects added.

Conceived as the first of its kind to be built in compliance with the Powerhouse standard, the Svart will also become the world’s northernmost Powerhouse building.

"Building in such a precious environment comes with some clear obligations in terms of preserving the natural beauty and the fauna and flora of the site. It was important for us to design a sustainable building that will leave a minimal environmental footprint on this beautiful Northern nature," said Founding Partner at Snøhetta, Kjetil Trædal Thorsen.

"Building an energy positive and low-impact hotel is an essential factor to create a sustainable tourist destination respecting the unique features of the plot; the rare plant species, the clean waters and the blue ice of the Svartisen glacier."

The hotel is composed of a circular volume extending from the shoreline by the foot of the Almlifjellet mountain and into the clear waters of the Holandsfjorden fjord. The circular shape provides a panoramic view of the fjord and an experience of living in proximity with nature.

Inspired by local vernacular architecture in the form of the “fiskehjell” (A-shaped wooden structure for drying fish) and the “rorbue” (a traditional type of seasonal house used by fishermen), Snøhetta's reference for the rorbue translates into the hotel’s supporting structure which is built from weather resistant wooden poles stretching several meters below the surface of the fjord. 

The structure is raised above from the water through poles, ensuring that the building physically places a minimal footprint in the pristine nature and gives the building an almost transparent appearance of “Svart”. The circular shape provides a panoramic view of the fjord and an experience of living in proximity with nature.

"The poles of the hotel double as a wooden boardwalk for visitors to stroll in the summer. In the winter, the boardwalk can be used to store boats and kayaks, reducing the need for garages and additional storage space. The height of structure also allows for paddlers to paddle under the hotel corpus," said the firm.

"The precious nature surrounding the hotel can only be accessed by boat and there are plans to introduce an energy neutral boat shuttle from the city of Bodø to the hotel."

To achieve the Powerhouse standard, the studio uses several cutting-edge design choices. For example, the architects have conducted an extensive mapping of how solar radiation behaves in relation to mountainous context throughout the year to optimize the harvest of energy. 

The result of the study has been an importance premise for the circular design of the hotel, and both hotel rooms, restaurants and terraces are strategically placed to exploit the Sun’s energy throughout the day and seasons. The hotel’s roof is clad with Norwegian solar panels produced with clean hydro energy reducing the carbon footprint even further.

The hotel comprises secluded terraces, providing a shadow play in the façade of the hotel while also ensuring privacy. The facades are carefully designed to protect against insolation from the sun in the summer when the sun is high in the sky, removing the need for artificial cooling. 

"During the winter months, when the sun is low in the sky, the large windows of the façade allow for a maximum of insolation to exploit the Sun’s natural thermal energy," detailed the firm. 

The architects use special materials equipped with low embodied energy to reach the Powerhouse standard. "Embodied energy is the amount of energy that is required to produce, transport, build and replace materials and products that go into a building. Embodied energy is highest in materials produced with energy derived from fossil fuels," added the studio.

The architects aims to minimise the environmental impact of the building by using use wood in construction and cladding. They avoid adding typically energy-intensive materials such as structural steel and concrete as much as possible in construction.

Powerhouse is a collaboration between Snøhetta, Entra, Skanska, the ZERO Emission Resource Organization and Asplan Viak. Powerhouse is responsible for several plus house projects, including Norway’s first plus house, the world’s first rehabilitated plus house at Kjørbo in Sandvika, Norway. 

Today, Powerhouse is building a Montessori school in Drøbak, which opens in February 2018. In Trondheim, Powerhouse partner Entra is building a new Powerhouses at Brattørkaia in Telemark, R8 is building Powerhouse Telemark.

All images © Snøhetta/Plompmozes

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