The Icehotel is back and as fantastical as ever

Build, melt, repeat.

Every year for the past 28 years, the Icehotel has popped up in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, as a seasonal ode to architecture. Now it’s back for its 29th year, and it’s just as cold and glorious as ever.

Built from 2,500 tons of ice pulled from the nearby Torne River, the temporary hotel is like a massive, ornate igloo. The hotel’s ice is harvested from the river in March and stored until construction starts in October when the air is cool enough to keep the ice intact.

Photo by Asaf Kliger

This year’s hotel features a main lobby, events hall, and 15 “art suites,” sculpted by 33 artists from 13 different countries. Each of the suites embraces a different theme—the “Haven Suite” by Jonas Johansson, Jordi Claramunt, and Lukas Petko features a lavish bed that’s protected by two icy guard dogs.

Photo by Asaf Kliger

The “Living Ocean” suite by Jonathan Paul Green and Marnie Green is carved into an icy underwater fantasy land, complete with snowy coral reef and a bed made of ice.

Photo by Asaf Kliger

Meanwhile, there’s a campfire suite with a VW van sculpted out of snow, and a (very fake) fire.

Everyone who visits the chilly hotel is given a sleeping bag that’s designed to keep people warm in conditions below zero. Dare to give it a whirl? Find more details about booking a room here.

Photo by Asaf Kliger

Via: Designboom