icehotel 365 opens north of the arctic circle

icehotel 365 — the world’s first permanent ice hotel — has opened to guests in sweden, 200 kilometers north of the arctic circle. in addition to 20 suites for overnight stays, the 2,100 square meter resort also includes a bar and an art gallery, open throughout the year. the entire project has been created out of snow and ice by artists from around the globe.

deluxe suite 365 – the victorian apartment. design luca roncoroni
(main image: deluxe suite 365 – wishful thinking. design marjolein vonk & maurizio perron)
images by asaf kliger / courtesy of icehotel

icehotel 365 is formed from around 30,000 liters of water that has been taken from the adjacent torne river. founded in 1989, each year icehotel presents an ephemeral collection of art-filled rooms and suites — the 2016 edition is the resort’s 27th incarnation. when parts of the hotel melt next spring, icehotel 365 will be able to offer its 50,000 annual visitors a year-round experience.

deluxe suite 365 – once upon a time. design luc voisin & mathieu brison
image by asaf kliger / courtesy of icehotel

the permanent structure takes advantage of the region’s near constant daylight between may and july, with photovoltaic panels and sustainable building techniques. topped with a green roof, the new hotel has been erected on a former ice storage site, adjacent to the existing hotel. internal temperatures in the new building drop as low as -5 degrees celsius (23 degrees fahrenheit). the refrigerating plant that ensures icehotel 365 is cold throughout the summer is powered by energy from solar panels, harvested during the warmer months.

art suite 365 – oh deer. ulrika tallving & carl wellander
image by asaf kliger / courtesy of icehotel

‘what’s fascinating is that the sun which melted the art in the past, is essential for making the year-round art experience possible,’ explains arne bergh, creative director at icehotel. ‘the art in the permanent part of icehotel will also change during the year and melt back into torne river again.’

‘the nature and environment are not only a huge source for inspiration for icehotel, but also a necessity to create the hotel year after year,’ adds yngve bergqvist, founder and initiator of the project. ‘previously we said goodbye to our guests come spring, but thanks to help from the sun we now can invite them year-round.’

art suite 365 – oh deer. ulrika tallving & carl wellander
image by asaf kliger / courtesy of icehotel