All over the world, it is evident that architecture has a lot to do with not only designing for the sake of esthetics but also for standing up to time and nature's elements. Buildings, homes, and other structures are built to last, at least that was true until the early 90's. Sweden became home to the world's first ice hotel.
Between December and April Ice Hotel can be found near the village of Jukkasjärvi in Kiruna, Sweden. The idea behind the hotel came in 1990 when Jannot Derid, a French artist, held an exhibition in a cylinder shaped igloo. One night some of the visitors requested permission to stay the night in the exhibition hall. This sparked the beginning of Ice Hotel. Each year the hotel is rebuilt from scratch, using ice from the Torne River, and each year a new design is created.
The process of building the Ice Hotel is a long and strenuous one. The building process starts in mid-November when large clouds of snow start to drift along the Torne River. Snow is sprayed on large steel forms and allowed to freeze. After a couple of days, the forms are removed, leaving a maze of free-standing corridors of snow. In the corridors, dividing walls are built in order to create rooms and suites. Ice blocks are transported into the hotel, from the Torne River, where artists from all over the world start creating the art and design of the perishable material.
The Ice Hotel Sweden uses more than 4,000 tons of ice to create the igloo-like structure, and usually features roughly 60 guest rooms. Also featured in the hotel is a full bar which includes glasses made completely from ice, a sauna, a reception hall, a multimedia theatre, and a chapel.
Although the price for staying in this winter wonderland is a little heavy, most people while find 300 to 500 dollars a night is not a problem for the experience they have when staying in the Ice Hotel. The Ice Hotel is a unique architectural feat and amazes people each and every year.
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