Aurora Borealis Arctic Observatory
Instructor: Luca Barello
4th year
Every year thousands of tourists travel to Rovaniemi, Finland to see the Northern Lights. This project is a proposal that makes us rediscover our primitive instincts by bonding with Mother Nature. The project is a small hotel that is standing on its own as s tourist destination. It includes a Finnish spa, a full astronomical observatory, and accomodations in food, beverage, and lodging. The hotel is a phenmenon within itself. When people come to stay, they are not only amazed by what they see in the night sky but they are amazed by the design of the temporary home in which they are staying.
Rovaniemi is known for its nature and snowy weather throughout most of the year; As an architect, my main objective is to preserve the site and come up with a design that enhances the landscape and provides our clients with a true finnish experience. The concept is based on the natural snow patterns created by the wind which gives the impression that the volumes designed are in hibernation with the landscape. The project creates a visual continuity and therefore creates a new hybrid