Sweden
Four Must-See Buildings in Sweden
It’s widely known that one of Sweden’s many claims-to-fame is its unique architecture. Here are just a few examples of intricately designed Swedish architecture that are worth a look.
The Mirrorcube
The Mirrorcube is a 4x4x4 meter building with an exterior covered entirely in, well, mirrors. The square-shaped building is actually a part of a system of rentable rooms at Treehotel. This room is made for two guests, and the interior features a small sitting area. The Mirrorcube was built in 2010 and created by Tham & Videgård Arkitekter. In addition to Mirrorcube, Treehotel offers six different rooms, all independent of each other and situated above ground within the trees of Harads, Sweden near the Lule River.
Turning Torso
Turning Torso is a skyscraper with a twist. Composed of nine box-shaped structures, the building was created by Santiago Calatrava Architects and Engineers and opened in 2005. Inspired by a sculpture done by Calatrava, also called Turning Torso, the building is a residential, and commercial space. According to Calatrava’s website, the building “features a highly advanced environmental design.” At home in Malmö’s Western Harbor, Turning Torso is 623 feet high, known to be the tallest residential building in Sweden and the second tallest residential building in Europe.
Icehotel
Icehotel is the world’s first hotel made entirely of ice and is located in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden.
In order to create this frozen oasis, the builders use a mixture of snow and ice from the Torne River. According to the Icehotel website, the snow and ice – or “snice” – is “sprayed onto molds, which are removed once the structure has consolidated.” The hotel melts each summer and is rebuilt in a new way each winter. Visitors can sleep in cold or warm rooms. Cold rooms mean everything in the room has been built with ice, aside from your mattress pillows and blankets. Guests can store their items and enjoy a sauna or hot shower in the hotel’s Riverside Lobby. Or, guests can go the traditional route in a warm room in one of the hotel’s chalets.
Kuggen
The word kuggen in Swedish translates to “tooth,” more specifically the tooth of a cog. This cylindrical-shaped building at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg has a colorful exterior boasting colors like red, orange and green alongside the many windows. Kuggen is an office space created by Swedish architecture firm Wingårdhs. The building was designed to be energy efficient, including features like a solar thermal system on the roof of the building and motion activated ventilation and lighting systems.
