The international architecture and design firm Snøhetta has released the designs for a circular hotel that will be energy positive.

Called the Svart hotel and located to be built within the Arctic Circle on the edge of Norway's Holandsfjorden fjord, the building is designed to generate more power than it uses, and will be built according to the energy positive Powerhouse standard.

Powerhouse is a collaboration between Snøhetta, Entra, Skanska, the ZERO Emission Resource Organization, and Asplan Viak that is focussed on the creation of energy-positive buildings, which are defined as buildings that will produce more renewable energy during their lifetime than they use for materials, production, operation, renovation and demolition.

“Building in such a precious environment comes with some clear obligations in terms of preserving the natural beauty and the fauna and flora of the site,” says Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Founding Partner, Snøhetta.

“Building an energy positive and low-impact hotel is an essential factor to create a sustainable tourist destination respecting the unique features of the plot; the rare plant species, the clean waters and the blue ice of the Svartisen glacier.”