Most people are on board with being as eco-friendly as they possibly can, and that goes for businesses and hospitality too. Snøhetta, a Norwegian architecture and design firm is one taking on a new project on commission to design a sustainable hotel. The hotel will be at the foot of a glacier right by the Arctic Circle, so the Northern Lights will be out of this world out there. Since the Arctic Circle is such a cold environment, the design did present some challenges, but nothing the design firm wasn't willing to take on. The hotel will be called Svart, and it will be the world's first Powerhouse hotel. That means that it will create more energy than it needs. It's named after the Svartisen glacier in northern Norway, and it will consume 85% less energy than standard hotels. It was all possible thanks to all of the great research the designers did. They were also very careful to preserve the plant life and environment around the building because that is part of the whole sustainability factor that the building has a small footprint.

It's placed out on the water with walkways leading out to the hotel from the shore of Holandsfjorden fjord. The circular shape of the hotel means it has 360 panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and glacier. Even though the design looks very modern, it's still based on traditional design. They used design aspects inspired by rorbue which is a traditional hut used by the local fishermen. They also used large beams in the water called a fiskehjell, which is a wooden structure used for drying fish once they've been caught. The hotel will also be accessible by boat too, and they will have an energy efficient boat shuttle from the city close by called Bodø. The hotel will feature solar panels on the rooftop aligned with the sun to generate the most energy. There will also be Geothermal wells to will capture energy from the ground to heat the rooms and the restaurants. The restaurant has also been placed perfectly so that it's shaded in the summer months.

With all of the windows throughout the hotel, there will be tons of natural light that will come into the space which is essential for somewhere so far up North. There will be plenty of relaxing and adventurous activities to do while staying there as well like kayaking and fishing and harvesting your own mussels to eat for dinner and ice climbing. For a more relaxing experience, you can sit back and relax watching the Northern Lights or do some yoga on one of the terraces. Trekking adventures are also possible and will take you right up to the Svartisen glacier. The eco-friendly hotel is set to be built by 2021, and it will be the first of many eco-friendly Powerhouse buildings that Snøhetta will be creating alongside businesses like Arctic Adventure, Asplan Vaak, and Skanska. The firm is known for its uniquely designed buildings and for their eye for new solutions to make buildings more eco-friendly and sustainable. Snøhetta started out as a collaborative architectural and landscape business and has stayed true to their roots ever since. They want to help keep the balance between nature and architecture so as not to overwhelm the environment. They love to create buildings that connect people with the land around them making them feel connected to nature. They have created some amazing museums, reindeer observatories, and even dollhouses as well as landscaping and graphic design which makes for a very well-rounded business model that suits all different types of needs. Keep your eyes peeled for the Svart hotel coming soon.