Svart appoints Space Copenhagen for interiors

The world’s first energy positive hotel, Svart, has appointed Danish studio Space Copenhagen to lead the property’s interior design.

Located in Arctic Norway at the base of the Svartisen glacier, Svart – featuring an indoor-outdoor spa, four restaurants, an education centre and a design laboratory – will open to guests in 2022.

The glass-fronted, circular property, which will float on stilts above the Holandsfjorden fjord, aims to be fully off-grid, carbon neutral and zero waste within the first five years of operation.

Space Copenhagen’s design concept draws inspiration from Norse mythology and its connection to the four elements, while reflecting the project’s core values of sustainability, innovation and holism.

“The design aesthetic does not seek to mimic or filter the magnificence of the Norwegian landscape, but to be a humble backdrop to it,” reveal Peter Bundgaard and Signe Bindslev Henriksen of Space Copenhagen. “The building itself – an unbroken, seamless circle – will become a portal dedicated to enhancing human connection to nature, the seasons, and to time itself.”

The Danish duo describe their approach as ‘Poetic Modernism’, seeking to forge new paths by balancing opposites within their work.

“It was essential for us to find a design partner that shared our vision, with the ability to create a truly stunning aesthetic that both complements and emphasises the natural beauty of the destination, without distracting from it,” explains Ivaylo Lefterov, Svart’s Development Director. “Longevity, human connection and a distinctly Scandinavian quality – themes which run through Bundgaard and Bindlev Henriken’s award-winning work – will be at the heart of the Svart experience. We could not have found a better fit for us in Space Copenhagen and we are thrilled to have them on board.”

Space Copenhagen is responsible for some of the most ambitious and award-winning design projects of recent years, with previous work including the 11 Howard Hotel in New York, The Stratford in London and the original Noma restaurant in Copenhagen.