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ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

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A smokin' hot issue of ICEHOTEL Magazine - fresh out from the printers. Shock full of arctic adventures and a full-on snow and ice bonanza.

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Page 1: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010
Page 2: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

vin

ter.

Fo

to F

red

rik

Bro

ma

n,

kan

Hjo

rt,

An

ne

li Ja

ako

.

There is only one reason to visit – your own. Find it at www.swedishlapland.com.

Do you long for somewhere that offers new experiences and in-sights? A place where you can let your thoughts wander and dis-cover new horizons? If so, Swedish Lapland is an ideal destination. Tremendous con-trasts await you: mountains and archipelagos, light and darkness, warmth and the cold. But also small details; so tiny that you’ve never even considered them: the deafening sound of snow falling slowly to the ground. The sun glowing like fire in the middle of the night. Here you have the time that you normally lack to discover how magnificent such small details can be. Swedish Lapland is close by, yet extremely far away. Welcome to our county.

The adventures of Swedish Lapland.®

www.kirunalapland.se

Page 3: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

vin

ter.

Fo

to F

red

rik

Bro

ma

n,

kan

Hjo

rt,

An

ne

li Ja

ako

.

There is only one reason to visit – your own. Find it at www.swedishlapland.com.

Do you long for somewhere that offers new experiences and in-sights? A place where you can let your thoughts wander and dis-cover new horizons? If so, Swedish Lapland is an ideal destination. Tremendous con-trasts await you: mountains and archipelagos, light and darkness, warmth and the cold. But also small details; so tiny that you’ve never even considered them: the deafening sound of snow falling slowly to the ground. The sun glowing like fire in the middle of the night. Here you have the time that you normally lack to discover how magnificent such small details can be. Swedish Lapland is close by, yet extremely far away. Welcome to our county.

The adventures of Swedish Lapland.®

www.kirunalapland.se

Page 4: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

WWW.DUOHTAVUOHTA .COM

ANGELI JACKET

AVAILABLE FROM ICE HOTEL SHOP

Page 5: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

WWW.DUOHTAVUOHTA .COM

ANGELI JACKET

AVAILABLE FROM ICE HOTEL SHOP

Page 6: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Hello

6 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

Torne river Has a sTory To Tell

i stand here on my shore of the Torne river and feel. Quite a bit of water has flowed passed Jukkasjärvi since iCeHoTel was born twenty years ago. a little drop of all this water has been borrowed for the desire to make the world a little more fantastic, a little more real.

it is a powerful driving force. We transform the crystal clear ice into world-class art and architecture. From all corners of the world, well-known artists and designers converge to help us with our vision. in every ice suite and iCeBar, in the hall of pillars and in every sculpture there is a story. The artist has theirs, you create your own. and at the same time the river tells its own story through the clear ice. The story of an untamed, lapland river flowing through a furrow carved by the inland glacier more than 10 000 years ago. The journey of the Torne river is not over at the delta panning out in the Gulf of Bothnia. it con-tinues onward across the globe, to iCeBars and events in south america, Japan and europe. Because the Torne river has something to teach us: to humbly take gentle care of our untouched nature, to act conservatively in using our common resources and leave behind as few footprints as possible. i could go on for ages. and that is exactly what i plan to do. The original vision of iCeHoTel, born twenty years ago, is still the same. We will continue to refine and develop the concept, as we did a few years ago by placing a hearty focus on sustainability and environment. learn more about our ongoing work to increase the sustainability of our operations, about our research and development, meet the artists Thoms & nilsson, check out where iCe-Bar by iCeHoTel is located around the world and be swept away by the possibility being able to travel out into space within the very foreseeable future.

Welcome to iCeHoTel, in Jukkasjärvi and elsewhere on this globe, yngve Bergqvist,Ceo.

m o r e t h a n w o r d s

Publisher and responsible under Swedish publishing law. Yngve Bergqvist |

Editors ronnY olovsson | ella jonsson | victoria skeidsvoll |

Creative Director annika fredriksson | Art Director Magdalena sjödin |

Marketing Assistant | niklas Matsson

Photographers anders alM | lars lindh |

hans-olof Utsi | photoBigBen.coM. | Frontcover ICEHOTEL PELar HaLL 2010. Photo: andErs aLM.

Printed by color print aB 2010.

This magazine cannot be responsible for unsolicited material.© Reserved to ICEHOTEL

Cert no. SGS-COC-1050TRYCKSAK 341 147

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SBAD0789_9-5Snow_IceHotel_NY.indd 1 2010-06-29 15.54

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Content / Crew

8 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

26

kerstin nilssonHotel Manager

stefanBenjaminssonrestaurant Manager

Petra Wadlund lindhBusiness area Manager iCeBar

It all began with a hotel of ice and snow in Juk-kasjärvi, far above the arctic Circle. now you can expe-rience the surrealistic icy en-

vironment in the pulsating metropolises of london, Co-penhagen and tokyo thanks to iCeBar by iCeHotel.

What is ICEBAR by ICEHOTEL?“it is a will and passionate force to spread the magic of iCeHotel and swedish lapland in urban settings around the world. Many guests that may be thinking about visiting iCeHotel in Jukkasjärvi have the chance to test the special atmosphere, others may have never experienced below-freezing before. Being encompassed by ice, cold, the art and serenity can of-ten be an overwhelming contrast to the stressful urban context”, says Petra.

Exactly how do you go about building an ICEBAR where there may never be any winter?“Modern refrigeration technology is a great help. our years of experience have taught us how to harvest, store and transport the torne river ice around the globe. the art & Design group, with artistic Director, arne Bergh, is involved in designing every bar. a team sketches and plans at home, and then constructs and designs the bar on location. Just like the original iCeHotel, once a year the interiors of all bars are replaced, never stag-nating, continuously changing”, says Petra.

How do guests react to meeting ice from the Torne River, far from home?”something changes for those who visit iCeBar by iCe-Hotel. Warmed by a silver cape, all guests are harmo-nized on the same level, which allows one to relax and absorb the impressions. the story of the crystal clear river that froze far away in swedish lapland, making the long journey of hundreds, sometimes thousands of kilometers, is completely overwhelming. all at once it is grand, surreal and playful. i often hear the relief of laughter in iCeBar by iCeHotel”, says Petra.

FIrst he owned a res-taurant in stockholm, then a bar in greece. longing for winter and a bit homesick for sweden, he moved up to Juk-

kasjärvi during peak season in 2001 and worked as a bartender at aBsolut iCeBar. today, stefan Benja-minsson is the restaurant Manager at iCeHotel.

What kind of experiences can be expected at the different ICEHOTEL restaurants and bars?“a professional but at the same time personal ser-vice, and a variation of menus, all carefully arranged. We always begin by using local and natural produce of exceptional quality, such as Kalix löjrom, reindeer and cloudberries. Just look around, our produce has its roots in one of the world’s cleanest regions”, says stefan.

Tell us about the restaurants in Jukkasjärvi. “iCeHotel has two wonderful restaurants in Jukkas-järvi with completely different concepts. at the authen-tic old Homestead, a charming 18th century timber building overlooking the mighty torne river, guests enjoy their meals in a rustic environment. iCeHotel restaurant is a more exclusive alternative, offering in-ternational cuisine with the region’s delectable produce perfectly composed in a tantalizing symphony of tas-tes”, says stefan.

What should absolutely not be missed when dining?“Definitely not our ice menus with local and natu-ral produce served on ice plates and bowls made of crystal-clear torne river ice. But i would also say that one should not miss the opportunity to head out into the deep forests surrounding Jukkasjärvi, maybe on a snowmobile or dog sled tour that will take you to one of our wilderness camps, far of the beaten track. after a wood-burning sauna you sit down to a set table and a four-course dinner. For many that is something truly unique and maybe the dinner experience of a lifetime”, says stefan.

as the hotel manager of iCeHotel, Kerstin nils-son is responsible for both cold and warm accommoda-tions, two restaurants, four

bars and the gift shop, with a total of 100 employees during the peak season. “i have the best job in the world. We meet new guests everyday, who are seeing us and iCeHotel for the first time. We’re striving to reach that special feeling, the magic, in our meeting with every guest”, says Kerstin.

ICEHOTEL is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. Tell a little about the difference between now & then.”in the beginning we focused on summertime, with rafting as our main product. as the winter season grew, we soon discovered that the farther away we were from sweden, the more people were attracted to everything Jukkasjärvi, lapland, that is, cold and snow. over the years, iCeHotel has developed through its interac-tion with its guests, and they are a great part of ma-king us what we are today”, says Kerstin.

Sleeping in a room of ice and snow. What does it entail and how does it feel?”For most people it is a wonderful adventure. the stay begins with a check-in tour, becoming acquain-ted with everything they need and information about how to dress and sleep in a sleeping bag. the over-night stay itself is described by many as a surreal and comfortable experience. the snow insulates, so it is very, very quiet inside iCeHotel. in this white serenity, one slumbers off into a pleasant winter sleep, cozily tucked into a warm sleeping bag.”

What should one absolutely not miss when visiting ICEHOTEL and Jukkasjärvi? “lay on your back in a blanket of snow, spread out your arms and make a snow angel, gaze up at the deep, clear sky studded with a million glitte-ring stars, and, if you’re lucky, a sparkling show of northern lights”, says Kerstin.

9 CurrEnTBusiness unusualin Swedish Lapland.

10 CurrEnTIn Sauna Veritas.

32 Kiruna Moves youThere is something about Kiruna.

1644 Food on the rocKsMeet Stefan Benjaminsson,Restaurant Manager.

48 nutti sáMi siidaSámi culture.

60 ICEBarThe surprising and unlooked for.

THoms &nIlssonPLAYFULNESS

ICE AnD snoW

1215 CurrEnTRe-thinking theclimate change challenge.

71TornE rIvErthE mothEr oF icEhotEL

BjörklIDEnfjällByUNbELiEvAbLE

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 9

-40º Business unusual

We see it all the time: something happens within people in the meeting with ice and snow. All the white and transparency seems to open all senses and bring out the inner child. Un-touched fields of snow laid out beneath a heavenly sky are begging to be explo-red. Here you are free to leave your own mark: why not wander about with snowshoes on your feet, or bedded down on a dogsled, perhaps by snow-mobile or why not simply by falling back against the snow to make your very own snow angel. During the sum-mer months, the midnight sun seduces with its one hundred light, long days without night. even then you are offe-

red a unique meeting with the crystal clear ice in the production hall, where the raw material for next year’s iCe-HOteL lies in waiting. Perhaps your group would like to try their hand at sculpting the crisp and pliable ice while the sun and heat quiver outside?Many groups have surprised custo-mers, found solutions to difficult issues, recharged with new energy prior to new seasons together with kick-offs, and been inspired with a variety of company arrangements at iCeHOteL in Jukkas-järvi. iCeHOteL works with other ac-tors all over Lapland and are more than happy to help you tailor an arrangement for both large and smaller groups.

The world largest ice sculpting event? A group of 160 enthusiastic employees are enjoying the expericence of carving the pure Torne River ice.

in swedish LapLand

Phot

o by

Han

s-O

lof

Uts

i

Page 10: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Experience Tylo at Icehotel, or visit tylo.com to experience it at home

Muscles relax.The mind wanders.

Behind you, a full day exploring a frozen frontier. Ahead, a voyage of discovery in a palace of ice, and maybe a sled ride to catch

tonight’s show of northern lights.

In between, treating the senses to the true meaning of bliss.

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 11

The sauna CulTure is flourishing around the world, and thrives even in swedish lapland. svenska Bastuaka-demin, the swedish sauna academy, was inaugurated in 1988 with the opening of Kulturbastun, the Culture sauna, at the open air historical museum in Jukkasjärvi, a stone’s throw from ICehOTel.

The man BehInd The InITIaTIve Is Pär Gran-lund. he Tells us hOw IT all sTarTed:

“we were a few enthusiasts, relaxing and philosophizing in the sauna. among us was Yngve Bergqvist, founder of ICehOTel. Together we drew up the guidelines and the swedish sauna academy was thereby founded. It was a rather profound feeling having this occur in just Kultur-bastun, which was formerly a small inn where, among others, the founder of Kiruna himself, hjalmar lund-bohm, used to dine in grandeur with such prominent friends as Prince eugene of sweden and the celebrated swedish artist albert engström.”

Pär continues, “a sauna bath is a meeting of the four elements: earth, fire, air and the pure water. In the sauna we are all alike, sharing this lifestyle and philosophy com-bined with health and mental well-being.”

sO hOw dOes One GO aBOuT TO reallY en-JOY GenuIne sauna BaTh?

Pär Granlund is happy to guide us in this noble art:“The most important aspects are to take it easy and make sure you have plenty of time. The sauna is no place to be in a hurry. You start of course by taking off all your clo-thes and going into the warming sauna completely nude. You simply sit there and feel how your body slowly heats up. not until you really begin to sweat is it time to throw the first scoop of water over the hot stones. The rule of thumb when bathing together is: the last one in decides when it is time to throw water on the stones.”

YOu shOw COnsIderaTIOn TO YOur fel-lOw sauna BaThers. exTreme TemPeraTu-res are One Of The ThInGs ThaT are nOT reCOmmended:

“That’s true. no one should have to leave because so-meone else is firing up too high. a sauna bath is meant to last a long time. You sit there for about 5-10 minutes, go out to shower and cool off, before repeating the process again. It is also essential to replenish fluids on the inside as well, preferably with cold, fresh water. after the sauna bath, you all get together, clean and utterly relaxed, and share a really good meal and something to drink. This is my ultimate recipe for a perfect day”, Pär concludes.

Learn more about the magical sauna steam at the Swedish Sauna Academy’s website: bastuakademien.se

In Sauna VerItas

It is called “sauna” in almost every language around the world. Except in Chinese, where they say “tylö” says Pär Granlund, co-founder of the Swedish Sauna Academy.

”in sauna there is the truth”

Phot

o by

An

der

s A

lm &

Per

Jo

nss

on

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Current

12 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

Phot

o by

Jan

Jo

rdan

Hot, hotter, hottest with ice & snow

Arne Bergh, Artistic Director & Åke Larsson,

Architect at ICEHOTEL, are discussing the

construction of the iceberg, at Grand

Palais, Paris.

Lena Kriström, ice artist.

ICEHOTEL Has THE art of creating in ice and snow down pat. since the start twenty years ago, the company has built up an impres-sive competence and an extensive international network of famous designers, artists, sculptors and architects around the world. With ice as the medium and the unique, creative environment in Jukkasjärvi, the feelings for ICEHOTEL are embedded deep in the hearts of the engaged artists involved in its creation, and contributed to developing the young art form. Yes, it is welcomed as a life-long relationship. Many return season after season. Or gladly jump in and create in ice when ICEHOTEL delivers ice art and ice know-how together with large events all over the world.

The latest example is when 25 sculptors from around the globe came together in Paris and worked around the clock for a week to transform several tonnes of snice (the perfect blend of snow and ice) to a virtual iceberg that sparked the imagination. The mass of snow treated spectators to both a visual and emotional surprise that left no one unaffected.

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H A G L F S L O G O T Y P E

BASIC LOGOTYPE. TO BE USED AS NEGATIVE WHITE ON A BLACK OR DARK BACKGROUND

PLEASE CONTACT HAGL FS IF YOU REQUIRE ASSISTANCE OR ADVICE WITH THE APPLICATION OF THE LOGOTYPE

TEL +46 226 670 00, FAX +46 226 571 59

OUTSTANDING OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT

NEO SS ShIRTLight-weight structured pattern

shirt in technical fabrics. No shoulder seams for comfort. UPF 40+.

zAN SS ShIRTLightweight cheque pattern shirt in

technical fabrics. Ventilated mesh back construction. UPF 40+.

LET USED ShIRTS BE PART OF YOUR NEW EQUIPMENT

Ok, the shirt itself has not been used, but it is made out of recycled fabrics. Materials that Originate from a PET bottle or from left-over fabrics during

manufacturing that are being used to produce new materials and in the end new products. More so we have added design, fit, colors and technical solutions and

developed shirts and t-shirts that are useful for a wide range of activities.

LUTE Q SS ShIRT

Light-weight, rip pattern shirt in technical fabrics. Pullover style for maximum

comfort with backpack and pockets placed above backpack waist belt area. UPF 40+.

Light-weight, rip pattern shirt in technical fabrics. Pullover style for maximum

comfort with backpack and pockets placed above backpack waist belt area. UPF 40+.

Light-weight, rip pattern shirt in technical fabrics. Pullover style for maximum

comfort with backpack and pockets placed above backpack waist belt area. UPF 40+.

WWW.hAGLOFS.SEP

hO

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ICEHOTELL2010 Spring .indd 1 2010-05-24 15.10

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 15

”Companies that work strategically for the environment are going to make a considerable profit”, says Dennis pamlin, entrepreneur and newly appointed director of Low Carbon Leaders for transformative solutions, a joint Un and wwF initiative. together with a team he now presents a solu-tion initiative that includes the iCe CLima-te aCaDemY, a unique concept for those striving to be at the cutting edge of develop-ment and deliver the solutions required for a fossil-fuel-free future. some of the world’s foremost experts tailor solutions directly for companies, profitable for both the operations and society on a whole.

“the knowledge and technology already exist”, says Dennis pamlin. over the past ten years he has worked with global environme-ntal issues and corporate responsibility for wwF, as well as other organizations. today, Dennis pamlin is also involved in iCeho-teL and its climate investment. one of the world’s most famous hotels is consciously in-vesting in becoming Co2-negative (Climate positive) already by 2015.

the plan is to produce more energy than

what the company consumes while making the complete transition to renewable energy sour-ces such as wind, water, solar and bio-energy. iCehoteL will not only create sustainable energy solutions for the company alone, but also for Jukkasjärvi. in this way, iCehoteL represents much of what Dennis pamlin al-ready personifies – spirit of entrepreneurship, social responsibility and a strong will to turn problems into possibilities. By reaching its cli-mate goal, iCehoteL will arouse attention far beyond the country’s borders.

”if you can succeed 200 km north of the arctic Circle with its lengthy periods of darkness and extreme cold, well, then you show at the same time that anything is pos-sible – even where at first glance it seems almost impossible.”

Great challengesClimate changes are one of man’s greatest challenges. “what we have to learn is to quite simply have a better life with lesser impact on the planet. the knowledge and techno-logy exist today, it is merely about beginning to use them.”

Towards measureable resulTs

one key part of the new solution initiative is the ICe ClImaTe aCademY that offers a four days programme that helps compa-nies take strategic steps towards becoming a winner in a low carbon economy. The tailor-made approach makes it possible to start work before the aCademY with an as-sessment of operations, products, market and competitors, and also to continue until concrete results are achieved months after the aCademY is over. all companies are different and the programme will be de-veloped in dialogue with the participants. after that, the participants meet in Juk-kasjärvi, together with the very best within environment, technology and innovation, to tailor a programme and develop the envi-ronmental strategies most appropriate for just that specific company.

“we will be creating the conditions for those who strive to be the winners in the new climate-smart economy”, says dennis. “It’s exciting to have the opportunity to work with companies that want to make a new start and do not see themselves as a pro-blem, but rather as a part of the solution.”

ICe ClImaTe aCademY will unite sales, profit, innovation and environmental thin-king in a way that will benefit society on the whole.

“when IKea and Philips sell energy ef-ficient lights, they not only decrease their own emissions, but also help their custo-mers to live climate smart. when ericsson and China mobile contribute to more video conference and flexi-work solutions, this often results in a reduction in both com-muting and the need for office space.

In the future, investments, regulations and consumption will look very different. already today, the majority of consumers are willing to pay more for a product if it has a lower climate impact.

“If we look at the new markets, we see great possibilities to create future incomes and profits”, says Pamlin. ”I usually quote the saying: ’The best way to predict the fu-ture is to try to be a part of creating it’. This is going to be a challenging and fantastic journey.”The ICe ClImaTe aCademY is suppor-ted by corporate partners such as Geodis wilson and Philips. For more information contact [email protected]

” Those who take the step now are also

tomorrow’s financial winners, where

investments, regulations and consumer

patterns will look different from Today’s.”

dennis Pamlin

the Climate Change Challenge

RE-THInkIng

Towards measureable resul

one key part of the new solution initiative is the IC

the different and the programme will be developed in dialogue with the participants. after that, the participants meet in Juk

tailor a programme and develop the environmental strategies most appropriate for just that specific company.

new climate-smart economy”, says

with companies that want to make a new start and do not see themselves as a problem, but rather as a part of the solution.”

profit, innovation and environmental thinking in a way that will benefit society on the whole.

ficient lights, they not only decrease their

and China conference and flexi-work solutions, this

muting and the need for office space.

are willing to pay more for a product if it

great possibilities to create future incomes and profits”, says Pamlin. ”I usually quote

ture is to try to be a part of creating it’. This is going to be a challenging and fantastic journey.”The ted by corporate partners such as Geodis wcontact [email protected]

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16 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

the mother of ICEHOTEL

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 17

It’s fall, and the temperature is dropping. Summer’s warmth rises in vapour from the river. Now the water and the cold begin a game of cat and mouse. The river seems to flow more slowly each day. In late-October, the current

gives in to the cold, allowing it to seize the waves and stop them in their tracks. An overwhelming sense of peace falls as the freezing begins.

At last, it is time for the river to rest.

the mother of ICEHOTEL

Words by Ella Jonsson Photo by Hans-Olof Utsi

Page 18: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

CLEAN ENERGYwww.kallmarkt.se

We don’t want to see icebergs floating around. That’s why we created Källmärkt.Icebergs are majestic and beautiful. Unfortunately they are increasingly often an indication that our climate is changing. The ice caps on the Earth’s polar areas are breaking up and the risk is that they will eventually disappear. We do our bit to prevent this by only selling electricity that does not have a negative effect on the climate.

Källmärkt® electricity is generated from 100 percent renewable sources such as water, wind and biofuel. Greenpeace named us Sweden’s most environmentally friendly power company in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Visit www.kallmarkt.se to sign a contract or call +46 (0)26 178 575.

Sign a contract and you will also receive our book about saving electricity (worth SEK 139) to help you further reduce your energy costs.

Page 19: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 19

EACH WINTER, ICEHOTEL borrows several hundred tonnes of ice from the Torne River. As soon as the ice freezes up, the sec-tion of the river to be harvested is marked. All winter the ice field is kept free of snow, so that the ice can grow.

“Ice that grows in height is of no interest to us. We want it to grow downwards. That’s how we get the crystal-clear ice that has become the signature of ICEHOTEL,” says Alf Kero, who manages Ice Production. The slow, natural freeze-in gives the Torne River ice unique properties that cannot be created artificially, for example, with common tap water. Ice from the Torne River is perfectly crystal-clear and completely free from bubb-les and cracks. And, thanks to its pristine natural source, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle, it is also free of pollutants. This results in high-quality ice that is ideal for sculpting and building. Since it is natural and contains no additives, it makes superb ice for drinks.

Winter harvest“We harvest ice from mid-March until mid-April. By then, the ice is about 80 centimet-res thick. We use machines and custom-made tools that have been specially designed for our

specific requirements. Each year, we learn so-mething new and refine the technology succes-sively. The operations at ICEHOTEL are con-stantly developing,” explains Alf. The ice field is divided into a grid pattern that marks the size of the ice blocks. Then, the difficult task of sawing out and lifting the heavy blocks from the river begins. Beneath the ice, the wild river rushes. The tractors must not be too heavy and the drivers have to know exactly what they are doing, so the machines don’t end up in the frigid water. Each ice block weighs two ton-nes. The top surface layer is sawn off. The ice is then sorted in two classes: crystal-clear, for example, for ice glasses and dishes, and ice that is veiled, which is used for sculpting. The ice

The ice field is divided into a grid marking the size of the ice blocks.

Beneath the ice the wild river rushes.

Turning the creative ideas to reality.

After the harvest, the ice is stored at -5ºC until the coming fall.

Alf Kero, Manager ICE Production.

”THe sLOw, naTural frEEzE-

In gIvEs THe TOrne rIvEr ICe

unIque prOpErTIEs THat CannOt

be CrEaTEd arTIfICIaLLy”

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20 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

is then stored at about -5°C until the coming autumn and will be used in next season’s ver-sion of ICEHOTEL. A visit to the ice factory and the waiting river, which seems to pause briefly before being transformed into art and architecture, is a remarkable experience.

Fine Torne River Water ICEHOTEL borrows only a marginal amount of water in frozen form each year from the mighty Torne River. Watch the flowing river for a minute, right where it passes Jukkas-järvi, and the equivalent of the annual ‘wa-ter loan’ for ICEHOTEL passes before your eyes. Most of it is returned to the eco-cycle when spring arrives and ICEHOTEL melts silently back into the river again.

“The drawings and ideas for the next year’s ICEHOTEL are usually ready by January. ICE Production works in close consultation with the architects and artists. At harvest time, the artists are curious about the quality of the ice. We can see that the ice has different properties, depending on temperature and precipitation. It definitely varies from year to year. Long periods with temperatures be-low minus twenty degrees are favourable for the raw material,” says Alf. From the shore,

”THe iCe is

THEn sOrTEd in

Two cLassEs:

CrysTaL-CLEar,

fOr exampLE, fOr

ICe gLassEs and

dIsHEs, and iCe

THat is vEILEd,

wHICh is usEd

fOr sCuLpTIng.”

Page 21: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Thermal undergarments made in Sweden.

Freezing? Why? Stay warm with a base layer of fine merino wool in a terry knit.

The terry loops trap air between the skin and the clothing to create a warm insulating

layer. Wool also has a natural ability to carry away moisture and perspiration.

Woolpower is manufactured in Östersund in northern Sweden and the thermal

garments are used for work, sports and leisure, and by people who would simply

rather not be freezing cold. Using the material Ullfrotté Original, Woolpower has been

manufactured since 1972.

McBride / Fotograf Jörgen Reim

er

Location: Storulvåvägen, Jämtland, Sweden.

www.woolpower.se

Page 22: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Our heating makes the world

cooler

Even ICEHOTEL needs heating. For offices, restaurants, kitchens,

laundries, cottages…

But few other businesses in the world are in greater need of a cold

environment. So it’s only natural that ICEHOTEL has chosen to use

NIBE ground source heat pumps for all heating needs for more

than 10 years now.

Our heat pumps find heat even in the deep frozen lands of

Jukkasjärvi and at the bottom of the Torne River. Not by magic, but

by using a technology that is dominating new heating installations

in Sweden today. Ground source heat pumps give us all a source of

renewable energy that is available anywhere. To anyone.

The heat pumps make the hotel warm and the ground cold. Just as

the people at ICEHOTEL want it.

By using NIBE heat pumps ICEHOTEL has so far saved about

hundreds of thousands of Euro and hundreds of tons of CO2.

That’s a big contribution to keeping the world cooler.

An important task when your business is made up of ice.

Read more about the cooler way to heat at www.nibe.eu

NIBE Energy SystemsBox 14, 285 21 Markaryd, Sweden Tel 0433 - 73 000 www.nibe.eu

Page 23: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 23

close by the magnificent ICEHOTEL, visitors from all corners of the world watch in ama-zement as the ice is harvested. Perhaps only then do they fathom the magnitude of this incredible project. To first harvest and store huge quantities of ice, and then build a hotel filled with fabulous art and design the follo-wing winter is indeed a marvel. It’s surreal, to say the least. And, most amazingly, this is no one-off project. It is a vital and creative enterprise, with a new hotel each winter for two decades now, and always with a new theme, new art and new design. ICEHOTEL presence is now world-wide, thanks to ice-bars that offer a cold and fleeting pure taste of Lapland.

One might say that this makes the Torne River the world’s longest. As the river slowly freezes, the building start approaches. In mid-November, specially selected interna-tional artists and designers arrive. They will decorate this year’s version of ICEHOTEL. For some, this is the first time they will work in snow and ice. Others have been with the project since the early-1990s. This blend of neophytes and veterans keeps the art form fresh and vital. The ambition level is high and the creativity is almost palpable. Finally, the river will show what it has to offer. Fi-nally, the ice will be transformed into art.

Melts back to the source”The building process is intensive and ex-citing. The ice and snow we use are natural raw materials that are completely subjected to the whims of weather and temperature.

When ICEHOTEL opens in early-December, construction is still in progress. In recent ye-ars, we’ve had more and more requests from guests wishing to take a closer look at the building process.

They can take part in special guided tours, where we explain the process and our eco-cycle approach, and they can watch the artists at work,” explains Alf. By year-end, as peak season approaches, ICEHOTEL is complete. Several intensive months lie ahead. In the ice church, couples will ex-change vows. Guests will sleep in sub-zero suites graced with fabulous works of art. Exotic meals will be enjoyed after days of snowy adventure.

New products will be launched and corpo-rate events will take place. Many languages will be spoken in tiny Jukkasjärvi, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. By the time ICE-HOTEL closes in mid-April, 60,000 guests will have entered the world of ice. They will have experienced, first hand, one of the marvels of our times. It is a world wonder that keeps us ever mindful of the great cycle of nature.

When the warm spring sun returns and the days grow longer, the snow and ice be-gin their slow retreat. Tiny rivulets of clear meltwater trickle back towards the source and become one again with the mighty Torne River. Summer is knocking at the door and the river turns to new tasks. For ICEHOTEL, all that remains is to offer humble thanks for the water it has borrowed. And next year, a new ICEHOTEL will be born.

ICEhoTEl melts slowly in the warm spring sun and will soon once again join the Torne River.

”and nExt yEar, a nEw ICEHOTEl wILl be bOrn”

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Flakes

24 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

It was a cold midwinter night in 2002 when Hiroyoshi Sakai arrived to Jukkas-järvi, after a long journey from Sopporo, Japan, to design a suite in ICEHOTEL. Since that night Sakai returned every winter to bestow his unique artistry upon hundreds of thousands of guest. Last winter was sadly the last one since he unex-pectedly passed away early this year. His contribution to the art in ICEHOTEL has been significant. The beauty and tranquillity his craftsmanship emanated has been a source of inspiration, he left everyone speechless with each design. Sakai was a wood sculptor with a Bachelor of Arts in Wood Craft Design from the Hok-kaido University of Education. He also teached wood sculpting at the Swedish Center Foundation and the Hokkaido Asai Gakuen University, but found a pas-sion for creating with ice and snow at an early stage. The main source of Sakai’s

inspiration was the moon which is conveyed in his suites, where visitors always got transported beyond the Earth’s realms.

At every full moon, our thoughts will go out to this warm and humorous man. We have lost a member

of our ICEHOTEL family; the world has lost a remarkable artist.

All your friends at ICEHOTEL

TO HIrOyOSHI SAkAI A GrEAT pErSOn, A GrEAT ArTIST & A GrEAT FrIEnD

The reindeer’s fur has for centuries

been used as both clothing

and interior and still is.

In ICEHOTEL Shop you will find reindeer furs of finest

quality.

During this winter season, Buddhists from Thailand

opened an ice temple in Fredrika, a small society

south of Kiruna, and the ice used to build the

temple was delivered by ICEHOTEL. The plan is

to within a few years build the largest Buddhist

temple in Europe.

Buddhist guests at ICehOteL

ICEHOTEL began celebrating its 20th

anniversary with a new year's Eve party featuring

a 'tractor ballet'ICEHOTEL COLLECTION

The products included in ICEHOTEL Collection are specially designed by se-lected artists, with inspiration from the crystal-clear Torne River ice.

Page 25: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

We have a luxury suite in the conver-ted cockpit with a panoramic view of the airport or a suite in the far back of the plane, Black box suite. Along these suites we have more than twenty com-fortable standard Jumbojet-rooms.

Our rooms can accommodate one to four adults. At Jumbo Stay you´re gua-ranteed a unique and outstanding ex-perience. Feel exclusive and stay the night at Arlanda next to the terminals.

Welcome to one of the world’s coolest stays!Spend the night onboard a real Jumbo jet – on the ground

Booking: [email protected] | +46 (0) 8 593 604 00 | www.jumbostay.com

Page 26: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

char

den.

se

If you enjoy well designed, technically sophisticated and powerful classical American motor cycles, Victory is your choice. If you by any chance don’t already know about Victory, here is a bit of information: Victory have been around for 10 years in the USA, and during that time they have been immensely successful. Victory have received excellent reviews from independent sources like JD Power, and Victory have received top results in their customer polls. The fantastic design is the result of the collaboration between Arlen and Cory Ness, legends in constructing motorcycles. The engine is a 1731 cc v-twin with a well-balanced chassi. For more information about models and retailers, visit our website: www.victorymotorcycles.se.

Importer: Polaris Scandinaviawww.polarisindustries.com

www.victorymotorcycles.se

Page 27: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 27

Thoms nilssontop design

with iceWords by Ella Jonsson Photo by Anders Alm

WE ArE mEt by A flurried explosion as we enter Oktagården and the ice artists’ morning meeting, a sharp contrast to the monochrome bluish white, silent and frozen winter landscape glittering outside the

window. The explosion inside is a tumbling of laughter, colours and a li-vely buzz of conversation in a multitude of languages. The warmth shared

between them is evident. The buzz is subdued when Arne Bergh, Artistic Director, claps his hands for attention. Happily he reports he slept rather

well the past night, the last before the ports are opened to ICEHOTEL #20. Checking the time, he notes that the first guests are checking in

as he speaks. A feeling of relief and pensive melancholy sweeps over the room. Some of the artists will be leaving the group to return home al-

ready today. Some remain to continue with stage two.

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28 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

WE ArE HErE to talk to the designer duo Mats Nilsson and Jens Thoms Ivarsson, ve-terans in the context of ice sculpting. They have received a great deal of attention, both at home in Sweden and abroad, and several of their products have been awarded interna-tional honours. They have been creating ice art for ICEHOTEL since 2003, on the spot in Jukkasjärvi, for a variety of events and at a number of bars around the world.

“This year we are building the ICEBAr here at ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi. It’s our elev-enth bar, but it’s our first time building the bar here, at the original location. We submit-ted a design for a suite, but Arne Bergh had other plans in store for us”, says Jens.

And Mats continues, “This year’s edition of ABSOLUT ICEBAr Jukkasjärvi is designed by Åke Larsson, the architect at ICEHOTEL. We were thrilled when we saw the room, it offers the very best conditions.” The dialogue is quick and lively. It’s quite enthralling follo-wing the twists and turns and descriptions of an array of possible and impossible projects Thoms & Nilsson have been involved in.

“Our greatest driving force is about stud-ying the social interaction between people in public spaces. That is, how do strangers inte-ract with their surroundings and other indi-viduals, and what can we as designers and ar-

tists do to contribute to that communication, a real meeting, takes place”, says Jens.

He continues, “we can sit for hours at a town square, in a park, at a bar or in a hotel lobby, simply studying people’s beha-vior. What if, with a well thought-out shape and design of an entryway, bar counter or park bench, we can really make a difference and contribute to a meeting that alters a person’s life, maybe contributing to a life-long friendship or a conversation that beco-mes a lasting memory.”

“We put a great deal of weight on the thought behind the design, that the expressed design supports the thought”, Mats explains.

Jens and Mats got to know each other in the late-1990’s when Jens, as his first job, worked for Mats, a fourth-generation stone sculptor. The contact in the meeting was immediate and a creative cooperation quickly develo-ped, where they both vitalized each other’s ideas and complemented each other in the best possible way. Mats was also working as a fireman parallel to creating and inspired Jens to also enter upon this course. Their paths split for a while when Jens worked on his degree in industry design in Gothenburg and London. When the time came for his degree project, the natural path led him back to his old partner in Sölvesborg, in southernmost

Sweden. The result of his degree project is the washbasin HF01, now called “Tradition”. It immediately drew great attention, was awarded with a scholarship from the Gothen-burg foundation Willinska Stiftelse, and was exhibited at Svensk Form (Swedish Society of Crafts and Design) in Stockholm as well as in SAAB’s exhibition halls in Varberg and Goth-enburg. In addition, it was the starting shot for the joint firm Thoms & Nilsson.

“The work with ICEHOTEL is incredibly stimulating. Creating in ice and snow is a young art form that we have had the privilege of being a part of and vitalize through our ex-perience with large and heavy installations in stone and cement. We, especially I, really get ignited by clever, almost impossible requests and ideas. We have yet to fail a task. Just give us a little time, and we’ll find a solution. It is stimulating to see how the experiences and experiments with ice have in turn vitalized our way in working with other materials”, says Mats.

Black magnetite is one of these materials, which like the snow, originates in Swedish Lapland.

In contrast to the snow, it doesn’t fall from the sky, but is brought up from deep within the underground, from the iron ore body that lies beneath the city of Kiruna. The contrast

JENS thomS-IvArSSoNAgE: 38borN IN: GothenburgrESIdES IN: Tahult, near GothenburgdrIvES: MotorcycleEAtS: Spaghetti with meat sauce and plenty of parmesandrINkS: According to need and mooddESpISES: When people are treated unjustlyLIkES: Genuine peoplerEAdS: Makt som hobby (“Power as a hobby”), an analysis of human nature by Tönis TönissonLIkES to SEE: Films at the cinemaFAvorItE ArtISt(S): A. Calder, Poul Kjaerholm, Lars Lerin & many, many more…LApLANd IS: Magical, beautiful and vastABSOLUT ICEBAR JUKKASJÄRVI 2009/2010.

REdESIGn OF ThE BAR In TOKyO, MAy 2010.

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 29

to the ephemeral ice and snow couldn’t be greater: black, iron-rich, magnetic, heavy and eternal – with testified magical pro-perties. Believed to aid in meditation and relief from negative emotions, magnetite is also said to attract love, commitment and loyalty to its bearer. In an exciting art project focusing on magnetite, together with companies such as LKAB and Minel-co, ICEHOTEL has created a permanent sculpture park adjacent the ephemeral hotel.

“Our magnetite sculpture ’60 Degrees’ is a stylization of the ore body in Kiruna, with its walls and shaft. On the one side, all lines meet in a hole. There you can look into the

inner depths of the earth”, says Mats. We go out together to meet the fresh,

breathtaking beauty of the winter’s day to photograph. And indeed it is magical to see the black magnetite with their white caps of snow, seeming to want to warm and com-fort, soften up the black and hard. The eter-nal coupled with the ephemeral, a meeting between yin and yang.

“Here in Jukkasjärvi, different art forms, artists and designers meet from all reaches of the world, with different backgrounds and experiences. A completely unique, creative atmosphere emerges. Everything is possible here. We prove it together, by building a new, unique ICEHOTEL every year”, says Mats.

Honours and awards

2009: 1st Prize, Gold Award in Japan for a prin-ting press, where Jens was the concept designer for Mitsubishi heavy Industry.

2008: Thoms & nilsson’s design of ABSOLUTE ICEBAR LOndOn is awarded as one of the 40 best bars in the world by FRAME.

2007: Thoms & nilsson win two platinum, one gold and one silver for their objects in the AdEX Awards (Award of design Excellence in USA).

mAtS NILSSoNAgE: 53

borN IN: Sölvesborg, east coast of southernmost SwedenrESIdES IN: Sölvesborg

drIvES: VolvoEAtS: Thai

drINkS: Preferably British aledESpISES: dishonest people

LIkES: honest peoplerEAdS: non-fiction, fact literature

LIkES to SEE: Preferably Clint EastwoodFAvorItE ArtISt(S): My colleague Jens

LApLANd IS: Relaxation

The icebar at Liseberg in Gothenburg, created by Thoms & nilsson, has an urban theme and is a tribute to everyday life and ordinary people, seasoned with a touch of humor.

Phot

o by

Ch

rist

er o

lofs

son

Page 30: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

COPENHAGEN

MILAN

LONDON

PARIS

DUSSELDORF

AMSTERDAM

STOCKHOLM

OSLO

ANTWERP

HELSINKI

NEW YORK

TOKYO

DUBAI

THE ORIGINAL FRITZ HANSEN NAP™ CHAIR DESIGNED BY KASPER SALTO 2010

FRITZHANSEN.COM

MAKING STATEMENTSSINCE 1872

Page 31: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Flakes

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 31

For the unique way he’s utilized the natural conditions in northern Sweden and the opportunities created between industry and modern art, Yngve Berg-qvist was rewarded with a gold medal by iVA, the royal Swedish Academy of engineering Sciences.

”i’m moved and amazed by the honour,” says Yngve, whose idea of building a hotel of ice and snow has now earned him a gold medal for creative entrepreneurship. Many have the attitude that things won’t work out, but it’s only a matter of thinking differently; dig where you stand, much is undone. Yngve received the prize from his Majesty King Carl XVi Gustaf’s hand. the royal engine-ering Sciences, iVA, is an independent aca-demy promoting technical and economic sciences, and business development.

Gold medal for mad business ideaGold medal for

Follow the tracksIt’s been eight years since Erica Huuva made her first piece of sil-ver jewellery, the bracelet Eallit depicting tracks by reindeer, elk, lynx, wolverine and bear - imprints of life in the wil-derness. With collections such as Ràhkisvuohta (love), Garra Biegga (hard wind), Arvi (rain), Soahki (birch) and Làsta (leaves) she’s made her imprint on the fa-shion world with combining Sámi aesthetics and modern trends. www.ericahuuva.se

Offers products of the highest quality. Here,

you’ll find this season’s outdoor leisure wear,

as well as special foods from northern Swe-

den. ICEHOTEL Taste of Lapland Collection

includes lingonberry juice, tea, cloudberry

jam and marmalade. Garments are from

famous brands such as Fjällräven, SOS &

Haglöfs. The shop has a wide range of att-

ractive gift items and jewellery. Don’t miss

your chance to take a piece of Lapland home

with you. You can even pre-order and collect

it when you check in. www.icehotel.com

ICEHOTEL SHOP

For the uniquenatural conditions in northern Sweden and the opportunities created between industry and modern art, Yngve Bergqvist was rewarded with a gold medal by

Gold medal for mad business ideaGold medal for

Follow the tracks

The products from Lapland Wild Design

are Swedish handcrafted and made of high quality

antlers from reindeers and reminds of Lapland’s bar-ren climate, drifted snow, sustainability and affinity

to nature.

www.laplandwdesign.se

Photo by karlw

illiam&

Ulf B

Jon

sson

aB

Phot

o by

las

se l

ych

nel

l &

Bea

tig

erh

ielm

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32 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE

movesyou

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE | 33

There is someThing very special about Kiruna, the ciTy nesTled

in the middle of the mounTain wilderness of swedish Lapland,

200 Km norTh of the arcTic circle. this is the home of the

world’s Largest underground iron ore mine. this is where

The world-famous icehoTel is built every year of the

purest ice and snow. here you’ll also find the esrange

rocket base that carries out world-class space-relaTed

research and developmenT. this is where space travel

for privaTe persons is planned to take place wiThin

a few short years. and in the middle of it all, parTs

of cenTral Kiruna are to be transformed when

The mine expands direcTly underneaTh the ciTy.

Just thinking about how it all started a little over a hundred years ago, when the mi-ning comapny, LKAB, began their mining of iron ore from the mountains of Luossavaara and Kirunavaara, makes your head spin. In addition to revamping and turning the mine around, the managing director of LKAB, Hjal-mar Lundbohm, was given the task of building a new city from scratch, big enough for a po-pulation of 7-8000. He hired the country’s best city planners and architects with the vi-sion of creating a society never before seen in

Lapland. “At the end of the 1800’s, it quickly became very popular to work in Kiruna. The wages were two to three times higher then those offered in the mines in the more south-ern regions of Sweden. Many adventurous young men found their way to Kiruna, and it was a bit of a wild-west atmosphere from the beginning, a Swedish Klondike if you will, with plenty of gambling, brawls and drinking”, says Peter Stenberg at the historical cultural site of Hjalmar Lundbohmsgården in Kiruna.Peter continues, “Hjalmar Lundbohm, who

The city of Kiruna is young, just over 100 years. The little girl

sitting on her father’s arm is the city’s first-born.

She was named Kiruna.

Words by Ella Jonsson Photo by Anders Alm

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34 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE

wanted anything else than this lawless city, directly took charge of the reigns and put a ban on liquor and ’loose women’. The resi-dents were organized in different associa-tions, there were concerts and art exhibits, and the impressive construction of schools, a church, fire station and hospital station. The city developed rapidly into the modern so-ciety he had imagined. Quite simply, it was a very good place to live.”

Kiruna stretches its limitsThe city owns a very unique character, friendly and inviting it continues to challenge the limits of what is possible. The mine has developed into a high-technological industry, with ore that is craved around the globe. The ore con-tains a high percentage of iron in the form of magnetite. This in turn means that the iron ore from Kiruna has great environmental advan-tages since it requires less energy in the refine-ment process, leading to lower carbon dioxide emissions, than other ore sources. Somewhere around half way along, soon fifty years ago, an entirely new opportunity sailed along the horizon: space. ESA, the European Space Agency, was looking for a place to esta-blish a rocket base for research. “In Kiruna, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle, they found what they were looking for: an es-tablished airport, close to a city with a well-working infrastructure and plenty of unpo-pulated land for safe launches and landings of

sounding rocket payloads”, says Johanna Berg-ström-Roos, Information Manager at Esrange Space Center in Kiruna.

International cooperation in spaceThe work at Esrange has developed over the decades. The projects are carried out with research and space organizations, as well as companies, from around the world.“Today Esrange runs the world’s most active satellite ground station. We launch rockets and balloons for research on weightless-ness, aeronomy, astronomy, space physics and meteorology. We also work with the control and receiving

of data from Swedish and international satel-lites. Together with FMV, the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration, we have also created a new testing site, NEAT, which means that we offer the possibility to test and validate new aircraft such as unmanned craft and new space flight systems. Just the fact that these flights can be carried out over land is unique, which means higher levels of safety and better con-trol”, says Johanna Bergström-Roos.“The development is practically vertical, to say the least. We’re going from non-commer-cial to commercial operations. We have seen this direction coming for years. It is clearer now when many actors are working hard to launch manned space flights for private per-sons, which is also called space tourism. We’re talking about the second space age, when pri-vate money is invested to realize the dream of allowing more people to experience space. In the long run, this is good for all space opera-tions, which is important for everyone’s future here on Earth. As an example, a lot of the en-vironmental research is carried out up in the atmosphere and space”, says Johanna.

The sky is not the limit at Spaceport SwedenKiruna has taken a giant step and is developing into a space city worthy of the era 2000. The Institute of Space Physics, IRF, has had its head office in Kiruna for over fifty years. Here sci-entists carry on research and research educa-

The iron ore from Kiruna

has great environmenTal

advanTages since it requi-

res Less energy in the re-

finement process, Leading

To Lower carbon dioxide

emissions than oTher ore

sources.

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE | 35

tions in space and atmospheric physics, as well as space engineering. And within a couple of years, the first manned space flights for private persons from Spaceport Sweden are planned to be launched.“A new global industry is developing, and here in Kiruna we have the right conditions, both through access to land and air space, but mostly through the competence, services and infrastructure that the local actors can offer. Through local, regional and national coopera-tion, as well as with a large international net-work, Spaceport Sweden’s vision is to become one of the most important players in the new experience industry, where all operators de-pend on a well-working spaceport”, says Karin Nilsdotter, director of Spaceport Sweden.

Frozen moments give rise to new thoughtsNothing seems to be impossible in Kiruna. It was in the little village of Jukkasjärvi on the outskirts of Kiruna that the world’s bol-dest hotel venture, ICEHOTEL, was born twenty years ago. “Sure, it can seem crazy, building a hotel of snow and ice. But everyone that was involved at the start had an unyielding belief in the po-tential. And look how great it turns out to ’dig where you’re at’ so to speak. Now, twenty ye-ars later, the crystal clear ice plays the starring role in connection with events, trade shows and different arrangements for major trade-marks around the world. In addition, we have

our ICEBARs in big city metropolises such as London, Tokyo and Copenhagen. There, the meeting with the purity of the crystal clear ice from the Torne River is the stepping stone for a journey north to meet the original ICE-HOTEL in Jukkasjärvi”, says Yngve Bergkvist, CEO and founder of ICEHOTEL.

A natural processKiruna is moving in more than one way. The world’s largest underground iron ore mine is expanding directly under the city, where the rich body of iron ore is hiding its valuable treasure.“The ore body slants towards the city at a 60° angle. The resulting ground deformations that creep towards the city are a result of the mining technique, called sublevel caving. This means that within a few years, parts of Kiruna must be transformed”, says Lina Näs-ström at LKAB. It’s not the first time life above ground is affec-ted by the underground activities in Kiruna. The part of the city called Ön, the Island, is today abandoned and enclosed as a risk area. In the 60’s there were houses, roads and even a beach over there. “That’s right. We have already carried out a couple of large transformation projects. Among these is a joint project between LKAB and Vattenfall (a power company) to reroute the power lines in Kiruna, where LKAB has stood for about 60% of the financing, and Vat-

tenfall the rest. LKAB has even financed and built a new spill water conduit together with Kiruna’s public works at a cost of about 60 million Swedish krona. The railway also has to be rerouted and new roads constructed”, says Lina. The city transformation project places hearty demands on the ability to cooperate at every local level. The community looks different today compared to when the mine was in its infancy and LKAB with Hjalmar Lundbohm in the lead founded Kiruna.

A heritage to manage“LKAB has another task and another responsi-bility today. We are five actors: LKAB, Kiruna municipality, Banverket (the Swedish Rail-way Authority), Vägverket (the Swedish Road Administration) and Vattenfall, that work to-gether to navigate the right paths and the best conditions for a new Kiruna. The common

The ciTy transformaTion

project places hearTy

demands on the abiliTy to

cooperaTe at every Local

level.

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36 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE

goal is to manage the heritage left by Hjalmar Lundbohm and guarantee that the future Ki-runa is an attractive place to live, invest and work in”, says Lina. The transformation of Ki-runa has three national interests to consider: valuable minerals, consideration of a cultural environment and reindeer husbandry.

Lina continues, “The greatest challenges are shown to involve the softer factors of the equa-tion. They contain so many aspects: it’s about managing historical cultural values and unique cultural environments as well considering creating a living community, with an attractive and closely-connected city center where the residents are comfortable and at ease. It is also about a sense of safety, about people’s every-day lives and well-being.” The direction of the new construction is still an unsolved question. Thomas Nylund, the city architect, tells us:“We have only recently been handed the as-signment by the municipal executive board to begin working with a revision of the compre-hensive plan for central Kiruna and the imme-diate surroundings. Of course we would have preferred to have been finished with that pro-cess. Now we are looking at a flying start since we are in a bit of a hurry now. Within a year, spring 2011, we will know in which direction we can resituate Kiruna.”There have been many rounds, and now the schedule is really tight. For a long time, everything indicated that the new city cen-ter would be placed to the northwest. As a result of meticulous inspections of the area, we now know that, among other things, the ground is unstable and thus inappropriate for construction.

The transformation is a long processNow wiser after the event, we realize that the enormous transformation process has to take time. Areas that leading politicians were dead set on in 2007 have proved to be unthinka-ble today. We now have reliable information to build upon. This means making fresh efforts, backed with our new knowledge. All partners work together to do the very best for Kiruna. Quite simply to manage the grand and valua-

ble heritage handed down by Hjalmar Lund-bohm”, says Thomas.Today’s basic values of what represents a model city still correspond very well with Hjalmar Lundbohms vision. Especially when thinking along humanistic trains of thought. Now, just like back then, it is about creating a city that attracts people, where you are comfortable and want to stay. A city that offers good living conditions, can offer living environments that stand for function and quality of life. And of course the extreme climate is considered an important parameter.“What we add when we build places to live, li-ving areas and planning for a new city center is today’s demands on technology and function. I’m looking forward to new innovations with solutions such as passive houses. How would these work at our longitude? We are going to build sustainably, economically and socially as well as environmentally. This means, among other things, that we have to think long-term. Kiruna will continue to be a modern model society, pleasant and well-working in every way, both physically and psychologically. In addition to the residents of Kiruna, the city is to attract visitors, students and investors”, says Thomas. The municipality’s project leader for the city transformation, Christer Vinsa, is the spider in the web for every actor involved. It is his job to coordinate the different interests.“This is such a great opportunity, to be able to change and improve with the sights set on the future. There are a lot of cities around the world keeping an eye on Kiruna, both with envy and admiration. Sure, we have a tough task set before us, but at the same time, this is not something that is going to be done over-night. It is a successive transformation of the city, a process that is going to go on for de-cades. For a city like Kiruna, where we have always lived and worked with the mine, it is actually not particularly dramatic or strange”, says Christer.

Great international interestSurveys have shown a near 100% acceptance of the city transformation by those living in Kiruna. The interest raised by the entire spec-tacular process to change and partially move

a city arouses a great deal of curiosity from private persons and companies, both within Sweden and around the world. “We were rather taken by surprise by the storm of interest. Now we’re planning, together with other actors, to soon erect a symbolic building where we’ll put together information about the region, culture, mine and the city transfor-mation. The building is planned to be situated centrally in today’s Kiruna. “

Kiruna leaves no one unaffectedWe take a trip to the top of Luossavaara. The mountain owes its characteristic shape to the young days of mining, when the ore was extracted in an open-cast mine. The view from the ski hill is absolutely breath-taking, with the entire city lying at our feet, and the white-topped mountains towering in the distance with Sweden’s highest moun-tain, Kebnekaise, among them. Families on their week-long winter holiday enjoy skiing in the warming sunshine. The next project sits atop Luossavaara: The Eye, a five-star design hotel and showroom, designed by Lars Sundström. The venture is backed by eight Kiruna companies, and right now they are at a standstill awaiting various building permits. With their sound financial foun-dation, it is simply a question of time be-fore the hotel stands complete with equally impressive panorama views of the city and mountain landscapes.The list of attention-grabbing projects go-ing on in Kiruna is quite long. The feeling lingers for a long time and refuses to be shaken: what is it with Kiruna, why are there so many spectacular projects and ideas concentrated in this out-of-the-way place, far north of the Arctic Circle in Swedish Lapland? Could the source be the testified attractive force of magnetite? Or is it all the people who never fear dange-rous thoughts of new ventures? Perhaps the cause is the vast expanses and the open ho-rizon, the fact itself that the ceiling is sky-high up here in the north. Whatever the answer, Kiruna leaves no one unaffected. The place, the feeling and dynamics must quite simply be experienced.

what is it wiTh Kiruna, why are there so many specTacular projecTs

and ideas concenTraTed in this ouT-of-The-way place, far norTh of the

arcTic circle in swedish Lapland?

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE | 37

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hjalmar Lundbohmsgårdena historical cultural site A visit to the home of Hjalmar Lundbohm, the founder of Kiruna, takes you back to an exciting time in Sweden’s history. The time when the agricultural society began to make room for the industrial society, new demands were set and new opp-ortunities emerged. Imagine how the country’s leading architects, artists, authors and business owners sat down at the table in the Lundbohm home and contributed in creating the time’s most modern and dynamic place in Sweden: the model city of Kiruna.

spaceport swedenRound trip to space Spaceport Sweden is about establishing the branch commercial spaceflight in Kiruna, Norrbotten County and Sweden. An infrastructure is going to be created in the form of a spaceport as well as cooperation among different interested parties from Kiruna’s business sector who join forces to establish Europe’s first and most obvious place for com-mercial space travel for private persons. The ba-sic idea is to offer different actors the opportunity to ride together up into space in different ways, that is to say, for both private purposes and in the name of research. Spaceport Sweden is a joint action between the Swedish Space Cooperation, Swedavia, ICEHOTEL, the investment company Norrskenet, Institute of Space Physics, Upper Secondary School of Space Technology, Luleå University of Technology, Kiruna municipality and Norrbotten County Administrative Board.

lkaBTake The bus to the underworld of the world’s largest iron ore mine. A visit to LKAB InfoMine, on the 540 meter level, leaves no one untouched. The Kiruna mine is the world’s most ferrous and therefore environmentally friendly iron ore. Learn more about the mine’s 100-year history, intertwined with strong Kiruna development. An experience not to be missed!

esrange since its inception in 1966 has more than 500 sounding rockets shot up from the space base Esrange near Kiruna. The location of the space center is ideal, with plenty of undeveloped land for the safe launch and shutdown of various types of craft. For the SSC’s Esrange base gives you a detailed lecture on satellites and satellite technology (types, tracks, testing, maintenance and use) and a presentation by the SSC.

In Kiruna City Hall is a model of Kiruna, where you can get guided tours and get talked about urban regeneration.

corporaTe cusTomers flock to Kiruna to Learn

and be inspired by the ciTy’s specTacular

hisTory and excellence.

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 39

New Year Celebration 2009/2010

Page 40: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

New energy efficient downlights and spotlights to suit

your business environment. LuxSpace and SpotLED are

both innovative and stylish featuring the latest LED

technology. Offering incredible energy and maintenance

savings in applications and adds sparkle to both hospitality

and retail environments. www.philips.com/lighting

ICEBAR OSLO - Experience a bar with LED lighting solutions of Philips

Annonce - ICEBAR OSLO - GB.indd 1 2010-04-06 09:16:02

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 41

Julie Boschmans & Cecilia Herbots 2009/2010

Phot

o by

Sve

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lman

s

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The world’s leading travel operator to the ICEHOTEL

If you’d like to experience the ICEHOTEL for yourself,

a short break from Discover the World is the way to

go. With over 26 years experience and a range of trips

that feature this remarkable testament to art and design,

there is sure to be something in their repertoire that will

surprise and delight.

Whether staying as an overnight guest, just visiting or

perhaps combining it with another destination, their obvious

passion for all things ICEHOTEL sets them apart, as indeed

does their direct flight service between London Heathrow

and Kiruna. This special Discover the World service, with

complimentary in-flight dining (not included on scheduled

services), shaves off several hours from the usual journey

time, very important for those wishing to maximise their time

and enjoyment in this Swedish winter wonderland.

PLannIng YOur HOLIDaY In SWEDISH LaPLanD

Their brochure and website offer in-depth information

and a team of expert advisors, who have travelled

extensively throughout Lapland, are on hand to answer

questions either by phone, e-mail or face to face at their

offices in Banstead, Surrey.

WOrLDWIDE PaSSEngErS

Discover the World receives bookings from a

number of overseas passengers who fly into London

specifically to travel with them, so their reputation

has spread far and wide. and with a comprehensive

tailor-made service, should you be travelling from

overseas, it’s always possible to add a night or two

in London.

SPECIaL rELaTIOnSHIP WITH THE ICEHOTEL

as Discover the World has been working with

the ICEHOTEL for so many years, their special

relationship means that a large block of rooms are

reserved exclusively for passengers using their charter

flights. Their onsite representative makes sure guests

are kept happy and any loose ends are tied up with

the minimum of hassle.

ICEHOTEL Weddings

With the construction each year of an exquisite Ice

Chapel, again no two ever being the same, it isn’t

surprising that the ICEHOTEL is a prime location for

winter weddings. Discover the World specialise in

arranging weddings and blessings and their experienced

team, working closely with the Wedding Planners at the

ICEHOTEL, ensures everything goes to plan right down

to the finest detail.

BOOKIng WITH SECurITY

Discover the World is a fully bonded uK tour

operator which means when booking a trip with them

travelling to the ICEHOTEL from London, all money

paid to them is fully protected, no matter what.

Discover the WorlD

Visit www.discover-the-world.co.uk to see our range of holidays or call +44 (0) 1737 218 800 to talk to our travel specialists.

If you are considering a winter break to Swedish Lapland, look no further than

Discover the World. Whether booking one of their pre-planned itineraries or enjoying a tailor-made break, you can be sure of that extra special personal

touch when travelling with the experts.

Page 43: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

the holiDAYsHere are some of Discover the World’s featured winter trips to be found in their northern Lights brochure – check out their website where the brochure may be viewed online and you can read about the holidays in full.

icehotel BreAK fl y direct and have plenty of free time for optional excursions - includes a night in a Snow room. 3 or 4 nights

Festive sPeciAls celebrate at the ICEHOTEL with included activities, excursions and festive feasts.4 nights

icehotel & ABisKo probably the best place in the northern hemisphere for spectacular displays of the northern lights. Stay at the national park and the ICEHOTEL. 3 or 4 nights

icehotel & stocKholM combine a lively capital with the tranquil charm of Jukkasjarvi. 3 nights

hUsKY ADveNtUre sledge through pristine wilderness, stay at the Musher’s Lodge and overnight in a Snow room – an active trip full of excitement! 3 or 4 nights

icehotel & icelAND a popular trip contrasting two remarkable destinations on one fantastic holiday. 7 nights

icehotel & troMso a new trip with 3 nights in this fascinating northern norwegian city over which the aurora borealis is often known to shine brightly. 7 nights

the GreAt NorDic oDYsseY a fantastic journey through Sweden and norway, by plane, train and coastal voyager - includes time in Stockholm and at the ICEHOTEL. 11 nights

DIrECTFLIgHTS FrOMHEaTHrOWTO KIruna

December 2010 marks the fourth anniversary of the successful joint project between Discover the World and the Swedish Lapland travel industry to operate a charter fl ight series between London Heathrow and Kiruna. a Scandinavian airlines MD80 aircraft is used and to quote the words of many a passenger – ‘it’s like fl ying used to be!’

Free drinks and an in-fl ight full meal service are supplied and the journey time is cut from between 5 and 8 hours (fl ying via Stockholm) to 3½ hours. In 2010/11 there will be up to 13 return fl ights between December and March on this special Discover the World service.

www.discover-the-world.co.uk+44 (0) 1737 218 800

Photos by R

ag

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”I wanted to say a huge thank you for everything you did for us. Our

time at ICEHOTEL was amazing and the champagne you sent was a lovely

surprise! Everything went smoothly and all the arrangements worked out

really well so we were able to enjoy our day. We were especially pleased with the photographer Kent, who, as well as taking really gorgeous

pictures, had a brilliant manner and made us feel at ease. He even drove out to the airport specially the next

day so that we could have the CD with our pictures before we left. All our

guests really enjoyed their stay and the snowmobiling to see the Northern

Lights was especially popular! So a huge thank you to you for arranging it all for us - it was a wonderful trip and we really appreciate everything

you did to make it happen!”

R Camp

Client feedback is one of the best ways to gauge the success of any holiday

company and Discover the World has a constant stream of positive

comments fl owing into their inbox. Here is one of them…

Page 44: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

44 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

food on THE rocksThe Tempo is high around the stoves and griddles, as high as the temperature and spirit among the cooks. It’s an utterly captivating experience to catch the cooking show live in a first-class, international kitchen, at the moment of truth when the guests are seated and waiting. The photographer and I try to stand clear as the wonderful dishes are lined up and made ready to serve. We are in awe watching the well-oiled machinery of 18 cooks and two sous-chefs orchestrating the evening’s spectacular show. And in the wings stands Stefan Benjaminsson with his sharp eye on every detail.

Words by ella Jonsson Photo by Anders Alm

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ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 45

STefAn BenjAmInSSon oWned a restaurant in Stockholm, then a bar in Greece. Longing for winter and a bit homesick for Sweden, he moved up to jukkasjärvi in 2001 and worked as a bar-tender at ABSoLUT ICeBAR. Today he is the Restaurant manager at ICeHoTeL.

This hotel built of snow and ice is visited by over 15 000 guests during the intense winter season, from the middle of december until the middle of April. About 70% of the guests are from abroad, Great Britain being the greatest market. ICeHoTeL has two restaurants with different profiles and directions, as well as two bars serving ligh-ter meals and snacks. The kitchen also prepares all meals for different outings, from picnic baskets with coffee and sandwiches to extrava-gant four-course dinners served at a wilderness camp.

Blackcurrant sorbet.

Pear soup with arctic raspberry & a nut crumble.

Wild duck with 100% chocolate.

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ICeHoTeL is not only a hotel built of ice, it is so much more, with plenty of warm and cozy environments. Take for instance the modern-style ICeHoTeL Restaurant, with influences from the Lap-land region. Here the menu is based on local produce that is elegantly refined with international influences. In contrast, the rustic Restau-rang Hembygdsgården (the old Homestead) offers more traditional fare. ”our guests want this variation. few enjoy eating gourmet meals every day,” says Stefan.

In the kitchen, the work is divided up pretty much like out in the world, with different stations where one or several cooks are re-sponsible for a few steps of the finished dish. The staff represents a range of nationalities: mexico, france, Switzerland and finland. They all contribute to the wide spectrum of tastes and experiences.

“Right now we are a great mix of newcomers and wily old birds. We got the team into shape during the pre-season, now working smoo-thly together as a tight team. It’s really important that everything sits just right when the wheels begin to turn. Then everything has to click,” says Stefan. during the peak season, enormous quantities of premium regional delicacies pass through the kitchen to the guests’ plates. much of this produce is supplied by local hunters, fishermen and berry-pickers. “our raw-produce suppliers are our friends and neighbours. It’s a wonderful feeling being a conscious part of a chain, an ecosystem, knowing the true origin of the produce. We want to offer our guests an extra dimension, the luxury of enjoying that which nature offers. I’m really proud and know from experience that we stand for something truly unique,” says Stefan.

The cuisine at ICeHoTeL Restaurant has been featured in gourmet magazines around the world and has been awarded the prestigious Werner Vögeli Statuette. “We want to be a renowned restaurant. our goal is to surprise and satisfy our guests, make sure that they expe-rience something unique,” says Stefan.

To be able to do that, the restaurant and kitchen together have well over fifty people in the staff of cooks, waiters, and waitresses. “We work a lot to make sure that our staff like it up here, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle, and I think that we have succeeded in our task. many of our staff members have been working here for several sea-sons in a row. That ensures both quality and high service-level,” says Stefan.

ICeHoTeL is now celebrating its 20th anniversary and naturally spotlight the event in the restaurants. “We’ve composed a wonderful seven-course ice menu with classic produce from Swedish Lapland. A mouthwatering cavalcade of tastes that should not be missed when visiting ICeHoTeL,” says Stefan, just as the dessert kitchen care-fully arranges bubblegum-pink arctic raspberry mousse in specially-designed dessert bowls of crystal clear Torne River ice. The effect is tantalizing and looks absolutely delicious, our mouths are watering. With delicate precision the edible art is built piece by piece, top-ped off with crispy lemon drops and candied orange peel. The dessert disappears out into the dining room and treats the guests to a taste of midnight sun and surreal nights bathed in light, a grand finale to a show enveloped by snow and ice.

Kalix Löjrom with smoked bleak & pickled red onions served on ice.

ICEHOTEL Restaurant.

Page 47: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Call us at +46 (0)31 42 96 00

to get in contact with a local

sales representative from one

of our 12 Swedish offices.

Geodis Wilson Your Freight Management Partner

[email protected] www.geodiswilson.se

Page 48: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Nutti Sámi Siida

48 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

With great fOCus on thelittle nuances

The SÁmi culTure is a natural and living part of the daily life in Jukkasjärvi, which hasn’t come about by chance. right where the river widens and stretches out after wiggling its way through the mountains, there is a point of land that has been an ancient Sámi market place for hundreds of years. This is where different groups of Sámi from the region met with other groups as far away to the east and west, now known as Finland, russia and Norway. They came together and carried out business among themselves and with traveling traders from the south. it was here products were traded and bought, such as hides and handicrafts, sugar and salt. This is an ancient tradition that is very alive today, when Jukkasjärvi is now a magnet attracting people from every corner of the world. The name Jukkasjärvi (côhkeras in Sámi) means, fittingly enough, “meeting place by the lake”. When visiting icehOTel, be sure to not miss meeting the Sámi heritage.

The owner Nils Torbjörn Nutti and one of his employees are finding their own path in Sápmi.

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Nutti Sámi Siida

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 49

Nutti Sámi Siida AB The Sámi activities at ICEHOTEL is provided

by Nutti Sámi Siida AB. These popular products

include their unique reindeer sled tour and

arrangements focused on traditional Sámi food. The

company is focused on eco-tourism and certified

as “Nature’s Best”. www.naturesbest.com.

Over the years, the com-pany has collected a num-

ber of awards, including winning the prestigious 2010 Indigenous Travel

and Biodiversity Website Award, jury’s choice, and being recently nominated

as one of three for the distinction Grand Travel Award as the best eco-

tourism company.

The crackliNg Fire in the middle of the kåta, a Sámi-style tipi, spreads cosy warmth as the flames cast spellbinding figures up the walls. a group of young Sámi sit around the hearth talking, in a blend of Swedish and Sámi. The warm yellow glow makes their skin glow. They are summing up their recent trip to their Sámi neighbors in Saarivuomo, where they were to divide up the herd and gather up their own reindeer.

We are at Nutti Sámi Siida, right next to the Juk-kasjärvi church. The company was established 13 years ago, with the aim of conveying the genuine Sámi culture to guests from near and far. The area has an open air museum that tells the story of Sámi history and traditions. There is also a large fenced pasture with reindeer. anders kärrstedt is the mar-keting manager at Nutti Sámi Siida, and with a sack full of reindeer lichens and a bit of calling, he entices the reindeer to come over to eat from our hands.

“reindeer are a domestic animal. For us, every animal is an individual with its own personality and behavior. They are our closest and most important workmates. Without the reindeer, the Sámi would be nothing”, says anders. So it’s not a coincidence that reindeer are a central part of Nutti Sámi Siida’s operations. The experiences offered by the com-pany almost always contain an activity where the reindeer play a central role.

“We offer experiences with true authenticity. all of our guides are active in reindeer husbandry and the Sámi culture. We want our guests to experience closeness to nature and origins. The entire time we are fully focused on safety and comfort. We take great care in seeing to that guests feel they are ha-ving a wonderful time, feel good about their mee-ting with the Sámi culture, even on expeditions far

out into the wilderness”, says anders. Nutti Sámi Siida conveniently offers some of their

activities on site in Jukkasjärvi, such as reindeer driving on a short track together with a guiding of the open air museum on the Sámi culture.

There is also a unique reindeer sled tour where you can drive your own reindeer for 3-4 hours and enjoy eating a traditional meal out in the wilderness. For those seeking greater adventures, there’s the possibi-lity of joining a longer tour of up to a week.

“all of our activities have their roots in the Sámi culture. The driving force behind Nutti Sámi Siida is to spread knowledge about our people and tradi-tions while conserving traditional knowledge. many of these experiences take us out into the wilderness without electricity or wireless coverage. Stressed-out city dwellers need a couple of days to land. in the grandeur of this cultural landscape, with its deep azure sky, rolling mountain landscape with an unencumbered view of the horizon, people’s minds open and relax.”

instead of measuring and weighing the day in dis-tance and time, the Sámi view is conveyed: see the small details in the greatness. We talk about why the winter sky is so red, why a tree looks like it does, are fascinated by the dancing northern lights that brighten the winter skies or are struck with awe by the beauty of the midnight sun on serenely light summer nights. The experiences and meeting with untamed nature opens people’s eyes, allowing them to think differently about their everyday lives, says anders.

When we return to the kåta, the preparations for the evening’s activities are in full swing. “Being together in the wilderness brings people closer to one another”, concludes anders kärrstedt.

We bring the Sámi culture and history to visitors

from near and far,” says Anders Kärrstedt, Marketing

Manager at Nutti Sámi Siida.

”the Sámi view: See the Small details in the greatNeSS”

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Travel by train with SJ, and you’ll be taking the easy and eco-friendly route to Norrland. Make the journey part of the whole experience!

Watch the passing landscape change along the way, and enjoy a good meal in the bistro before the train gently rocks you to sleep. You will reach your destination well-rested and raring to go. Choose between a seat reservation or a berth in a sleeping car or couchette. Purchase

your tickets at www.sj.se, by calling +46 771 75 75 75 or at any SJ Resebutik travel office. Enjoy your trip!

Take the train to Swedish Lappland!

www.sj.se

1586_SJ_annons_icehotell_Eng.indd 1 2010-06-01 13.56

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Art & Design Group

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 51

The desire To make iCe-hoTeL a showcase for high-class art and design has been implicit right from the start. That’s the big difference between the original and the many copies that have ap-peared throughout the world over the years. each winter, professional artists from near and far come to Jukkasjärvi to create in snow and ice. For some, this is their first oppor-tunity to work in these mate-rials. others are experienced ice artists.

arne Bergh is the artis-tic director at iCehoTeL. each season, he and his colleagues in the iCe- hoTeL art & design Group tend to breathe a sigh of relief when the artists have been chosen for the coming winter. arne explains the selection process. “We receive applications from artists and designers from all around the world. The final date for applica-tions is in mid-July. Last year, around 250 artists applied, which is about the usual number. it’s a good number, since it gives us a very broad selection. Com-petition is tough. after the vacation period, usually in mid-august, the jury gathers to make their picks.”

Describe the selection process?

“all entries are unpacked and the sketches are displayed without the artists’ names be-ing disclosed. Then, the jury members assess the sketches and place their votes. There is an incredible spectrum in the art, with installation and formation of the rooms, with

both figurative and abstract expressions. There are so many talented designers, in-dustrial designers and archi-tects that apply. We require that the art is a unique design created solely for iCehoTeL.

iCehoTeL is an original exhibition that can only be experienced during the four months of the hotel’s life. The artists have three mate-rials to work with: ice, snow and snice (the perfect blend of snow and ice). They have at their disposal a crew of five light designers for the finishing touches of light in their ephemeral art.

You mentioned the variety of experienced and novice ice artists. What does that mean

for this art form? “The ‘old’ ice artists are mentors for those working in the material for the first time. That mix vitalizes the ice art. over the years, we’ve seen what can hap-pen when daring novices take on a new material. The art form is continually re-newed; new things happen every year. even though we’ve amassed quite a lot of experience by now, it’s still new territory.”

When will this year’s version of ICEHOTEL

be ready? ”iCehoTeL experiments with new technology, such as pre-fabricating in order to enable building even earlier and thereby exten-ding the season. This me-ans that we will have ten rooms ready as soon as by the end of November.”

Original art nOrth Of the arctic circle

Art Suite 308 “REsT In THE nEsT”, by annasOfIa Mååg, swEdEn.Rest in the Nest is my second suite at ICEHOTEL. The idea to this concept came to me as a lightning from a clear blue sky, just only a few hours before deadline of the application. As a ceramic artist and sculptor I am always intrigued by spaces. It is important for me to create dept in a suite by using the two different materials ice and snow (snice) as contrasts to each other. It was simply a matter of basic laws of configura-tion that I combined with the story of some giant bird’s nest. Being part of creating ICEHOTEL is always a great experience. It is a challenge as an artist and human being in the sense of bringing your idea from a paper to a physical room using your own muscles. I like that.

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Village walkwooden sculpture of carl von linnéArtist: Arne BerghThis sculpture, made in lime-tree, was made for the World Expo in Seville in 1992 and is current-ly owned by Skansen in Stockholm. After a bronze cast of the sculpture was made it was sent here to Jukkasjärvi for resto-ration and stands here today on loan from Skansen. Arne Bergh is working as Artistic Director at ICEHOTEL since 1994.

The art of JukkasJärvi

washbasin (tradition / hf01) Designers: Mats Nilsson & Jens Thoms Ivarsson. Made of magnetite.

Open your eyes to art from different eras and different techniques when you go exploring through Jukkasjärvi.

MaGnetite heavY art sculpture park Made out of magnetite, the mineral which Kiruna municipality can thank its exis-tence for, these eighteen sculptures make up an year-round outdoor art exhibition, located next to ICEHOTEL.

free Artist: Mark Armstrong. Created for the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Jukkasjärvi, Armstrong’s magne-tite sculpture is made up out of catenary arches, just like the Main Hall in ICEHOTEL.

abrahaM MoMMa-reenstierna in a sledArtist: David Klöcker Ehrenstahl (1628-1698) He founded the old Svappavaara coppermine and Kengis Bruk in Pajala and was knighted Reenstierna for his efforts. The painting was donated by professor John Reenstierna.

wrapped trees Artist: Christo. This painting, created in various techniques, depicts one of artist Christo’s world famous art installations with trees wrapped in cloth.

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Village walk

JukkasJÄrvi church, the altarpiece Artist: Bror Hjorth (1894-1968). Jukkasjärvi church’s current altarpiece came into place in 1958 as a gift from LKAB in connection with the church’s 350th anniversary. The altarpiece, which has the form of a triptych, is cut out in teak and depict scenes from the Laestadian revival which was named after the priest Lars Levi Laestadius.

JukkasJÄrvi church, the orGan The organ was built by Grönlunds Orgelbyggeri in Gammelstad and decorated by Lars-Levi Sunna. The facade has the sun and the Christian cross in the center. The organ is made of curly birch, reindeer antlers and crusted skin. The register is decorated with various characters taken from the Sámi mythology. The organ has three specific sounds: Bird Song, Cymbal Star and Magic Drum.

Model photos Photographer: Herb Ritts, 1996. The world famous photos from the ABSOLUT VERSACE cam-paign – photographed in Jukkasjärvi with supermodels Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Marcus Schenkenberg.

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Wedding

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A promise ofa unified future, in an Ephemeral ChurchThe ice Church in Jukkasjärvi is filled by the warmth between ma-deleine and Niklas rissveds, with their rosy cheeks and starry eyes. only minutes before, in the presence of witnesses and the priest of Jukkasjärvi, they promised to love one another for better and for worse. During a well-needed pause in the cozy dressing room adja-cent the church, we are able to relax and sit down with the newly-weds. They divulge that the wedding preparations had been going on in secrecy for about two months. The marriage is only between them, they explain. Back home, they have no idea of what just hap-pened. They are looking forward to spending the night in comfor-table warmth after the prior night’s magical experience in one of the iCeHoTeL art suites. But before full relaxation, it is time for a series of wedding photographs and a grand wedding dinner to be enjoyed at iCeHoTeL restaurant.

iCeHoTeL wish mr and mrs rissveds happiness and prosperity.

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Wedding

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 55

A promise of

Page 56: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Beneath the snow and ice a different Sweden slumbers– one that also bids you a warm welcome.

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www.visitsweden.com

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Wedding

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 57

Cold feet? Of cou rse not! Now we a re Mr a nd Mrs Rissveds.

The Ice church in Jukkasjärvi officiates about 150 marriages and some 30 baptisms every year. The wedding couples come from all corners of the globe, though the majority are from europe and Sweden. The wedding coor-dinator at IcehOTeL assists in the planning and formalities, such as the investigation into whether or not there are impediments (hin-dersprövning) to getting married. The plan-ning time for a wedding varies from a couple of months to a year, in some cases even longer, depending on the size of the wedding.

If you prefer a civil wedding, we offer beautiful environments inside IcehOTeL as well as in the surrounding area.

When planning a summer wedding, consider our ro-mantic historical Jukkasjärvi Church that celebrated its 400th year in 2009.

Unforgetta ble f lavor ca ptu re s the moment.

Wa rmth & love at the Chu rch of ice & snow.

Page 58: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

The last 15 years the ICEBAR concept has celebrated its success by serving refreshing cocktails in unique surroundings created from ice from the Torne River. The flow of ice from the majestic river has found its way to ICEBAR’s all over the world – now the concept has taken a step further with ICEBAR by ICEHOTEL. The guest will be offered a sensual experience of food, drinks, design and art with special effects to capture the spirit of ICEHOTEL.

ICEHOTEL has teamed up with Philips to enhance the art and the natural ice qualities to really touch all your senses with Philips unique consumer products and light design.

Page 59: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 59

Doris Preißler & Stephanie Kurz, the Winner of Best ICEHOTEL photo 2009/2010

Page 60: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEBAR

60 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

Barlife

During the autumn of 2009, the city of Oslo, Norway, was adorned with glistening touches from the Torne Ri-ver. Ice statues and the opp-ortunity to try your hand at ice-sculpting were mixed with competitions and “ice people” in the streets and city squares. With a magni-ficent fire-and-ice show, few could have missed the spec-tacular grand opening. As an exercise in pure form, it was decided that the theme ”Purity with a twist” would do just that. No distractions here, just ice....

twist

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Page 61: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEBAR

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 61

Barlife In the same neighborhood as the Natio-nal Gallery, the Norwegian Theatre and Hotel Bristol you will now find ICEBAR OSLO. Five hundred guests attended the premier, together with Olav Thon of Thon Hotels as well as Yngve Bergqvist, CEO of ICEHOTEL. Sixty tonnes of ice were brought directly from ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi to Oslo. The bar is de-signed by ICEHOTEL Artistic Director, Arne Bergh, together with ice artist Jan Haglöf, who constructed the 100 cubic meter bar from the ground up.

Great interestLong before its grand opening, there was a storm of bookings from private persons, cruise companies and tra-vel agents. ICEBAR OSLO has already welcomed thousands of tourists from around the world, and they are expec-ting to top 80 000 guests during the first year. “This is a goal we are defi-nitely going to reach”, says Joachim Langebrekke Larsen, General Manager of ICEBAR OSLO.

The story begins when Olav Thon, owner of Norway’s third largest hotel chain, Thon Hotels, visited ABSOLUT ICEBAR in Stockholm. The experience was overwhelming and lead to swift measures. This was definitely so-mething for the people of Oslo.

“A bar made completely of ice, cold, the fantastic lighting and ice sculptu-res left us spellbound”, says Morten Thorvaldsen, CEO of Thon Hotels. They contacted Agnetha Lund, Di-rector of ICEBAR by ICEHOTEL, who presented the concept in Oslo, and a short nine months later they took part in the opening of Oslo’s coolest tourist attraction.

“In the rocks”If you are tempted to visit ICEBAR OSLO, an advance reservation is re-commended. You are welcomed in the entryway with warm clothing and a drink naturally served in a glass made of pure, crystal-clear ice. If you pre-fer, wander over to the warmer section

where you will find a cocktail bar and a tapas menu showcasing only the finest of ingredients. You can try your hand at ice-sculp-ting – a popular activity among guests, many of which are visiting as a part of a company or organization. In ad-dition to unique touches like having their company logo or product frozen in ice, which is perfect for launches, there is also the possibility of accom-modating courses and conferences for 10 – 250 participants. Once a year, a team of ice artists from ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi arrive to change and renew the design. Work that makes ICEBAR OSLO one of the city’s continually cur-rent attractions. ”You can visit us on a regular basis, and still always experience something new, genuine and transformed”, says Joachim Langebrekke Larsen. Inde-pendent of weather and season, it is always -5°C inside, mimicking ICE-HOTEL in Jukkasjärvi. The surreal blue and green light casts the feeling of the

ice and northern lights, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. “Many visit Oslo to see the city and take in the culture and entertainment offered here. But today’s guests also want to experience something uni-que, an utterly special experience, something we can really deliver”, says Morten Thorvaldsen. He would really like to present more ice sculptures, especially pieces based on Norwegian culture. “A miniature of the historical Aker-hus Fort or the Royal Castle would be such exciting pieces, and something that ties together the experience with our own culture and history.”

The goal is of course to offer an ut-terly unique bar experience in Oslo’s finest and most distinctive hotspot. “We have already hosted a num-ber of events and launches here”, says Joachim Langebrekke Larsen, “Companies in search of that little extra twist, a unique experience year-round, come to us.”

Olav Thon, owner of Thon Hotels, and

Yngve Bergquist, CEO of ICEHOTEL,

at the grand opening of ICEBAR OSLO.

Page 62: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEBAR

62 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

31-33 Heddon Street

London W1B 4BN England

Phone: +44 (0)20 74 78 89 10

The mother of all ICEBARS is located at ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, 200 kilometers north of the Artic Circle and first set up in 1994. Every winter people from around the globe meet up at the ICEHOTEL, and break the ice over a drink or two at the frosty counter of this trendy establishment. It’s open every day from 01.00 pm to 01.00 am.

ABSOLUT ICEBAR LONDON opened its doors in Sep-tember 2005 and has enjoyed success through sen-sational events and innovative, exciting ice designs. It’s also the first icebar in the UK, and offers a wide range of ice cold ABSOLUT VODKA drinks. This luxuri-ous venue is all about comfort and sensory experience. Belowzero restaurant + lounge sits snuggly alongside AB-SOLUT ICEBAR LONDON and is the perfect place to enjoy warm or cold cocktails and fine food. It is often necessary to book a table in advance.

ABSOLUT ICEBAR STOCKHOLM is the world’s first per-manent icebar, located in the city center at Nordic Sea Hotel. It offers an experience unlike any other. Chilled to a constant -5°C/23°F, it evokes all your senses. Twice a year leading international artists and designers are invited to create experimental interiors and sculptures. Drop-in Fri-days & Saturdays 9.45 to 1 am. At all other times, reser-vations are highly recommended. As a guest at Nordic Sea Hotel you will have access to facilities and services.

ICEBAR OLSO is an exercise in pure form. The sugges-tion of a twist to it´s purity is everywhere. The philosophy behind this bar concept is suitably rooted in the heart and mind of ICEHOTEL and its artists. The total area of ICEBAR OSLO is 500 square meters, and makes it the largest ICEBAR by ICEHOTEL in the world, with a “cold” & “warm” section, where guests can enjoy good food and drinks.

Are you curious and want new experiences? Scratch be-neath the surface of Tokyo, and it is soon apparent that there is more to be discovered than sushi and skyscrapers. With the guiding name of “Northernmost attitude” the de-sign combines simple functionality, innovative design with a great deal of humor. But as the very name also suggests, a hope that guests will enjoy the cool and creative new works in a playful mood and relaxed spirit. Sip a signature drink in the rocks and enjoy Tokyo as it´s best!

ICEBAR COPENHAGEN is all about attitude! Head off to this self confident and playful bar for a truly cool ex-perience that is as classy and modern as the setting. Blocks of & crystal clear ice captures a playful philo-sophy in a series of quirky and comical moments like for an example a pair of ice skates, an ice raven in a cage, and even a biker driving a reindeer.

Marknadsvägen 69JukkasjärviPhone +46 (0) 980 668 00

Nordic Sea Hotel, Vasaplan 4, 101 37 Stockholm, SwedenPhone +46 (0) 8 5056 30 00

31-33 Heddon StreetLondon, W1B 4BN, EnglandPhone +44 (0) 20 74 78 89 10

Kristian IV’s gate 120164 Oslo, Norge22 42 66 61+47 22 42 66 61

Copenhagen Hotel 27Løngangstræde 27, Copenhagen, DenmarkPhone + 45 7027 56 27

Tokyo Chuo Ward Ginza SVAX GINZA building 1F, 8-5-15 Ginza Chuo-Ku, Tokyo, JapanPhone + 81 3-6228-5021

WITh ExPERTIsE, TEChNOlOgy AND ThANks TO ENERgy-EffICIENT lED lIghTINg fROm PhIlIPs, guEsTs CAN ENhANCEs ThE ImAgINATIvE INTERIOR As WEll As TElEvIsION

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Page 63: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEBAR

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 63

The suprising

& unlooked for

If you have just turned your back to the wind and built a hotel of only snow and ice, that under its first years attracted about 150 guests, then there is no doubt that the next step is to include a bar in the concept. In 1993, the founders of ICEhOTEl in Jukkasjärvi, sweden built a little bar in the hotel. Everything from the bar counter to furniture was made of ice from the Torne River. The world had seen its first ICEBAR. Even ice glasses would be invented only a few years later. ICEhOTEl has been bringing bars of ice to the world along with its partner ABsOluT for over fifteen years. This makes us the world’s most experienced ice pioneers. The genuine heritage, wilderness and pure swedish Torne Ri-ver ice can not be presented by anyone else and is also the core to our newest franchise concept – ICEBAR By ICEhOTEl. This bar concept features crystal clear ice in a setting in which good design is a priority, making it more than simply a bar. visiting an ICEBAR By ICEhOTEl will momentarily teleport you to Jukkasjärvi.

Page 64: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEBAR

64 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

ABSOLUT ICEBAR BUILT the world’s first ice bar in the Mojave Desert to celebrate the momentous premiere of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo on December 7th 2009.

The exclusive event with 800 prominent guests was hosted by vir-gin founder and Chairman sir Richard Branson and world renowned aircraft designer Burt Rutan. The event was also attended by 150 bro-adcast and world press media teams such as CNN, BBC and CBs.

The launch party featured the first ever ABsOluT ICEBAR in the de-sert, hosted by ICEhOTEl and Absolut vodka. ABsOluT ICEBAR mOJAvE was a temporary instal-lation built of 25 tons of pure Torne river ice. The bar offered the privile-ged guests delicious vodka cocktails “in the rocks” and a unique oppor-tunity to experience part of the icy cool of the lappish winter. In the warm bar, cocktails where served with the exclusive and much appre-ciated ice diamond.

In addition ICEhOTEl was also present with ice sculptress Tjåsa gusfors who crafted a unique astro-naut ice sculpture to complement the launch of spaceshipTwo.

The response to the event was massive both from media and prominent guests attending. Arnold schwarzenegger wro-te: “Wow! I don’t know what to say about the unveiling! I’m

speechless because what can you possible say about an event like yours that could do it justice?” virgin galactic’s remarkable and pioneering project is now in its final stage. The unveiling of spa-ceshipTwo marks the next critical step in bringing space tourism to the general public.

ICEhOTEl is one of a few selected accredited space agents (AsA) that for a comparative low price of 200 000 usD will of-fer the general public a ticket to space. Next after space-port America virgin galactic will launch their space ship from spaceport sweden lo-cated near ICEhOTEl. spa-ceport sweden in kiruna has conducted rocket launches since 1966. here the pas-senger will be able to fly th-rough the Northern lights.

- The partnership between virgin galactic and ABsO-luT ICEBAR is a natural al-liance since the astronauts and

their guests will be revisiting ICEhOTEl and ABsOluT ICEBAR once space travels are taking place from northern sweden. We believe that ABsOluT ICEBAR mOJAvE is the beginning of many exciting project between the two brands, says Astrid lundquist, head of Com-munication for ABsOluT ICEBAR.

ABSOLUT ICEBAR ICEHOTEL

partners up with Virgin Galactic

on historic launch

Page 65: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEBAR

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 65

“WoW! I don’t know What To say about The

unveiling! I’m speechless because What

can you possible say about an event like

yours That could do it jusTice?”

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

Page 66: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Flakes

66 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

Today it’s hard to grasp what living during the ice age would have been like. So to mark the release of Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurus, what better way to get an

idea of the world inhabited by Scrat, Manny and Diego than to visit a hotel made of ice and snow. The Blu-ray

world premiere of the animated movie took place in an ice room featuring sculptures from the Ice Age suite in

ICEHOTEL #20.

ICEHOTEL HOsTs sCraT & CO.

Magic Ice Istanbul

Haglöfs

The first permanent ice museum opened it’s doors on the 23th of April

in Istanbul. The Magic Ice Museum covers 1 400 square meters and

was built by the Norwegian Lofoten Trading Company with the help

from designers and sculptors from ICEHOTEL and 70 tonnes of pure Torne River ice from Jukkasjärvi.

When you don’t want to keep your head cool, check out our specially designed fur hat.

A viral featuring the drummer

Robert “Robban” Eriksson from

Hellacopters smashing a drum

set made of ice was released. A

clip that has reached over 1.6

millon views on Youtube – and

still counting.

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Coolest drum solo

cold weather and flaMe resistant

technically superior products

underwear for the outdoor world

stands up to tough deMands

woolpower.se

www.youtube.com/icehotel

EvEr

underwear for the outdoor world

sstands up to tough detands up to tough detands up to tough de

Haglöfs is the largest supplier of out-door equipment in scandinavia. They specialize in backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, footwear and quality outdoor clothing, jackets and fleecewear, de-signed to withstand the most extreme conditions. Haglöfs products are sold in ICEHOTEL shop. www.haglofs.se

”we had to butcher an entire drum set to build a new one of Ice” arne Bergh, Icehotel

creative director and drum set Builder.

Page 67: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Europe´s gateway to space

Spaceport Sweden represents the combined expertise of several Kiruna–based Swedish companies whose successful development has earned them international respect.

The aim of Spaceport Sweden is to be a world leading spaceport and Europe’s first and most obvious place for commercial spaceflights.

www.spaceportsweden.com

SpacEport SwEdEn

Page 68: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Space

68 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

ImagIne floatIng weIghtleSS surrounded by infinite space while looking down on the blue sphere that is our home. earth. Sur-rounded by the thin, thin atmosphere that gives us the unique milo, which is one of the prerequisites for our life. well, you feel small. humble. nothing will be the same after a long space experience. ast-ronauts have witnessed it many times. now it is your chance as an in-dividual. In 2012 Virgin galactic is planning commercial space flights from Kiruna and Spaceport Sweden. about 250 passengers have al-ready booked a space trip with Virgin galactic at a cost of $200 000 per person. and about 80 space travellers have already started to pre-pare for their space adventure, experiencing forces of up to 6g. last winter, about 50 of them visited Kiruna and Spaceport Sweden. It was a very successful trip. the travellers experienced subarctic lapland, with a visit to ICehotel, a helicopter tour to Kebnekaise’s summit, dogsledding, snowmobiling, a rocket launch at esrange Space Center, good food and drink, and more besides. they all agreed that lapland is super-exotic and comes as quite a surprise for many who have ‘seen and done everything’. Spaceport Sweden aims to be europe’s first and most obvious base for space travel for paying tourists.

WE HAVE SpACE

FOR YOU

Acc

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Spac

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ICE

HO

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We invite you to Jukkasjärvi to discover sleeping serenely in five degrees below zero, have a go at dog-sledding or join us on a Northern Lights safari by snowmobile or hor-seback. If none of this is ex-citing enough, why not simp-ly buy a ticket out to space? The spaceships owned by Sir Richard Branson, self-made billionaire and Chairman of the Virgin Group, will be ta-king off with space tourists on board already in 2012 – from Kiruna. Virgin Galactic chose Kiruna as the next spa-ceport before numerous other candidates around the world. ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi has also been hand-selected as Virgin Galactic Accredited Space Agent (ASA), which means that the world famous hotel is one of the few travel agents that have the exclu-sive right to sell the tickets that are going for $200 000, each. There are already about 300 people from around the world who have paid nearly 40 million dollars in deposits to guarantee an early seat. ICEHOTEL has completed intensive product training under 2010 in order to pro-vide the highly-specialized information required to sell this exciting and unique pro-duct. SpaceShipTwo will take passengers to a maximum al-titude of 110 kilometers (68 miles or 360 000 feet), on a trip that will last around 2.5 hours including about five minutes of weightlessness. Sailing along at 200 kilome-ters north of the Arctic Circle, you will gaze down on preci-ous Earth while catching an impressive view of the magi-cal northern lights.

Five oF the new ASAS Selectedhannibal & Marco Polo, Aarhus, denmark – Anders Martin larsen& teppo viiperi, Area travel Agency, helsinki, Finland – Mari Rouvi, icehotel travel, Kiruna, Sweden – Roland Sand, the Search, Malmö, Sweden – Andreas Axelson, Upplevelseakuten, Stockholm, Sweden – lasse Schmidt

Page 69: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Space

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 69

”SpEEding inTo SpACe in mACH1 wilL

blOw my mind. I CAn’t gEt my HEAd

ArOund it And THAt ExpEriEnCe wilL

be SEnSATiOnAl. I’ve dOne SOme prETTy

ExCiTing tHings in my TimE. gOing to

SpACe wilL be THe ulTimATE!”JOHN GOOdWIN, SpACE TOuRIST

Page 70: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010
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ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 71

Björkliden Fjällby

Untamed. UntoUched.

Unbelievable

It is easy to combine your stay at IcehoteL with a couple of days surrounded by deep snow in the most beautiful of surroundings. the ski and summer mountain paradise Björkliden Fjällby is only a short one-and-a-half hour trip from Jukkasjärvi. You’ll travel along the road awarded as Sweden’s most beautiful, and experience a ri-sing buzz of anticipation and excitement in pace with rising of the mountains and expanding Lapland landscape that opens up in front of you. With a breathtaking view of the glacier-carved Lapporten and one of Sweden’s largest lakes, torne träsk, you arrive in Björkliden where you are met by swarming activity. eager children challenge the bunny slopes, competition skiers sharpening their skills, beginners negotiating their way to the slopes, telemark and off-pist enthusiasts psyching before heading for the peaks.

Words by Victoria Skeidsvoll Photo by Fredrik Schenholm

Page 72: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

72 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

Björkliden Fjällby

Indeed, all want their part of the mountains’ little pearl and everything it offers, farthest away and highest up in the world, but so much closer than you can imagine. Fly bet-ween London and Kiruna, or Stockholm and Kiruna, and you are here within a few short hours. And in contrast to what many believe, the temperature is just right thanks to the war-ming Gulf Stream along the Norwegian fjords just over the mountains only 50 km away. “It is never bitterly cold here,” says Terje Peder-sen, the event and function manager at Björk-liden. “The average temperature lies around a comfortable -6°C in March.”

Björkliden has welcomed visitors from prac-tically every corner of the world, and met both expectation and surprise. According to Terje, there is this notion about northern Sweden that is synonymous with barren Arctic lands-capes. A depiction of a cold, inhospitable and inclement place. “What usually hits them first is the splendour, that it is so incredibly beauti-ful. And secondly, that they have the mountain tops to themselves, instead of sharing them with 30 000 other visitors”, says Terje. And that, having something to yourself, is what att-

racts not only private guests, but companies and event organizers as well. Björkliden offers the perfect conditions for successful events, conferences and teambuilding.

“It is a cozy, incredibly hospitable commu-nity perfectly situated in an enchanting lands-cape”, says Terje. “A company staying here pretty much has the entire resort to themsel-ves, which means sharing work, skiing, activi-ties and incredible meals together. Co-workers get to know one another better, increasing the feeling of solidarity. Björkliden quite simply unites.”

Guests soon realize the grandeur of this little community. Here you find Sweden’s third hig-hest vertical (538 meters), the country’s se-cond FIS-approved downhill slope, Sweden’s highest mountain lodge, pistes for all levels and an abundance of activities to choose from.

It is the perfect place to mix meeting with skiing, mountain tours, snowmobile and dogs-led tours, all the while being captivated by breathtaking views over Torne träsk and the surrounding mountain landscape. Wintertime they are lit with the dancing northern lights.

For many, their stay is an experience of a li-fetime. One of these once-in-a-lifetime expe-riences is heli-skiing, skiing down after being left on a mountain top by a helicopter. From Björkliden, it is easy to access the expanses of over 100 mountain tops in both the alpine mountains of Abisko and Kebnekaise massive – an area equal to half of Austria’s available ski area with some of the world’s best condi-tions for heli-skiing.

“Just let us know what level of skiing expe-rience you’re at, and we’ll take you to a place perfectly suited for you”, says Terje.

Of course these conditions are not exclu-sive to just attracting companies. Björkliden Fjällby arranges both small and large sports events. One of the smaller, yet well-known, is Black Bear Open, a competition open mostly for the fun, but attracting the Swedish ski and snowboard elite, simply because of the pre-stige: Come up and go for it! You have a good run, or perhaps just because you dare, and maybe you’ll win!

On the more serious side was when Björkli-den, competing with more famous ski resorts such as Steamboat, USA; Bormio, Italy and

“What usually hits them first is the splendour, that it is so incredibly beautiful.

and secondly, that they have the mountain tops to themselves, instead of sharing

them With 30 000 other visitors”

The view from above, a meringue

landscape of pristine peaks

as far as the eye can see.

Page 73: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010 | 73

Björkliden Fjällby

Alyeska, Alaska, arranged the World Airlines Ski Championship 2009. A world champion-ship for airline employees from around the world that has been held 49 times on three continents since 1960. The championship celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009 in Björkliden, where 500 pilots from 32 airlines met below Lapporten for a week-long com-petition consisting of both cross-country and downhill skiing. The competitions and time out in the snow were balanced with fire shows, parties, good food and company, concluding with a magnificent banquette complete with speeches, shows and opera. Niclas Stöckel, the ski area manager, Malin Bobbysdotter, the food and beverage manager and Terje Pe-dersen worked together with the rest of the Björkliden crew for four months to make it all perfect. And it was.

“The best arrangement they’d ever expe-rienced”, says Terje. “The weather was per-fect, and the mountains spoke for themsel-ves. We did our best to show how great this place is, this pearl of ours. At the same time we take very good care of our guests, wanting them to be comfortable and feel they are be-

ing well taken care of. Björkliden is personal and close. Creating a feeling of closeness and comfort.

The Alpine Swedish Championship is the largest event under 2010. Thanks to Sweden’s second FIS-approved downhill slope, Björkli-den could present their first alpine Swedish Championship ever. During seven days, this was the place for a great gathering of com-petitors, officials, sponsors, ski patrols and spectators. The Swedish elite competed in every discipline – slalom, giant slalom, down-hill and super G, of which Anja Pärson is one of the world’s absolute foremost skiers.

“We offered Björkliden – an incredible fee-ling of kinship, great slopes and good service – and got an incredible response back. We have already been asked to host the alpine Swedish Championship in 2012.”

Let’s turn our Björkliden focus towards summertime. This is when the midnight sun warms the mountains for 100 days, never set-ting. According to the magazine Golf World, Björkliden ranks among the top one hundred most beautiful and spectacular courses, offe-ring the possibility to play golf during the light

Arctic night. You can also bicycle along win-ding roads, or hike along well-marked trails. There are both short day tours with wonderful lakes and waterfall excursions, and longer tours taking you from the mountains down to the Norwegian fjords. Helicopter tours can take you to exclusive fishing lakes with char, grayling and salmon trout. And when the au-tumn turns, you can join a guide on a hunting tour when the mountains are afire with au-tumn colours.

“Here we have people who know the moun-tains like the back of their hand, and are happy to take you out there. Flexibility is our strength. We arrange that little extra, things our guests find hard to believe are possible up here. Everything boils down to will. And that is something we have”, says Terje.

Now Björkliden is looking forward to winter, the deep snow and a new season where al-most everything is available, aside city life.

“Shopping and party places are things you can find anywhere. Discovering an un-touched mountainside with 30 cm of pow-der is more of a challenge. But that’s exactly what we do have. “

In 2009 Björkliden ar-ranged the World Airlines

Ski Championship.

Page 74: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Booking

74 | ICEHOTEL MagazInE 2010

Kiruna

ICEHOTELOrca safari

Arctic

Abisko

KIRUNA

A r c t i c C i r c l e

Berlin

Madrid

Paris

London

StockholmMoscow

Rome

Jukkasjärvi

H A G L Ö F S L O G O T Y P E

BASIC LOGOTYPE. TO BE USED AS POSITIVE BLACK ON A LIGHT BACKGROUND

advice on bookingContact our booking department when planning your trip to ICEHOTEL. We’ll help you

to get the most out of your vacation, and we have plenty of helpful suggestions. Here,

you’ll find all the answers to your questions about accommodation, activities and all of

our offerings. Our group and conference department will be pleased to put together a

program proposal including accommodation, activities, meals and transfers, all according

to your wishes.

ICEHOTEL is situated just 17 km from Kiruna’s railway station and 12 km from Kiruna Airport. From Stockholm, you can reach Kiruna easily by train. Book your ticket with SJ.

FLYING TIMES TO KIRUNA FROM

Stockholm 1 hr. 30 min.

Copenhagen 2 hrs. 20 min.

London 3 hrs. 45 min.

Paris 3 hrs. 50 min.

Milan 5 hrs.

Frankfurt 3 hrs. 30 min.

Madrid 6 hrs.

New York 10 hrs.

Rio de Janeiro 20 hrs.

Tokyo 12 hrs. 30 min.

Sydney 25 hrs.

ICEHOTEL ParTnErs

COnTaCTPhone: +46 (0) 980 66 800Fax: +46 (0) 980 668 90Email: [email protected]

addrEssICEHOTEL981 91 JukkasjärviSWEDEN

GEODISGDI_07_0860_Logo_Geodis_Wilson20/04/2007

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ACCOMMODATION, RESTAuRANTS & ACTIvITIES, SEE PAgE 59 ORvISIT WWW.ICEHOTEL.COM

enjoy a true adventure

Page 75: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

Fly directly toScandinavia

Stockholm–KirunaDirect flights to Stockholm from

31 european destinations

Page 76: ICEHOTEL Magazine 2010

ABSOLUT NORTH1 part ABSOLUT® VANILIA

2 part raspberry juiceDash of lemon

Serve in an ice glassGarnish with a string of liquorice

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