Designers Named for ICEHOTEL in Sweden

While much of America melts in a heatwave, it's time to think cool thoughts. We like this scoop (like ice cream) to help us chill: Designs for the 24th ICEHOTEL in Swedish Lapland have been submitted, and 20 winning artists have been announced. A total of 200 designs were submitted for this year’s hotel, with those selected including a London underground platform, a Frankenstein-esque science lab, pole dancing Polar Bears and a Montmartre-inspired roof top setting—all made of ice and snow. The guest designers, who will be responsible for crafting the eleven art suites in the hotel, have come from a range of industries, from film direction to architecture, children’s product design and visual anthropologists.

ICEHOTEL is a design inspired living museum built on the bank of the Torne river in Swedish Lapland every year since in 1990. Thousands of tons of ice are harvested from the river each year for its construction which takes place over eight weeks between late October and December. After the basic structure of the ICEHOTEL is built, each artist has about three weeks to complete their design in the design suites while other artists work to add the details to the remainder of the ICEHOTEL 

The interior of the ICEHOTEL remains similar to a conventional hotel with a bar, reception, luxury suites, main hall and even a church. These are additional design projects assigned to the ICEHOTEL’s own creative team which will be announced later.

This year’s hotel will have approximately 65 rooms ranging over five categories, including the eleven individually designed suites by guest artists. (Good to know: The ICEHOTEL complex has warm rooms as well as ice rooms, where guests usually stay for part of their break.)

Confirmed artists include:

  • Brooke Erdman, USA Marcus Dillistone, UK
  • Camilla Bergman, Sweden Mark Szulgit, USA
  • Christian Strömqvist, Sweden Mathieu Brison, France
  • Christine Close, France Melanie Peters, Austria
  • Gretchen Alexander, Austria Natalie Close, Japan
  • Jens Dyvik, Norway Natsuki Saito, Japan
  • José Carlos Cabello Millán, Spain Rob Harding, UK/Spain
  • Karl-Johan Ekeroth, Sweden Shingo Saito, Japan
  • Lena Kriström, Sweden Timsam Harding, UK/Spain
  • Luc Voisin, France Yoad David Luxembourg, the Netherlands

ICEHOTEL will open on December 6, 2013.

For more information about the hotel, visit www.icehotel.com or www.icehotel.co.uk, the website for tour operator Discover the World.