Solar Egg | |
---|---|
General information | |
Status | Completed |
Type | Sauna |
Location | Luossabacken |
Town or city | Kiruna |
Country | Sweden |
Opened | April 2017 |
Height | 5 m (16.4 ft) |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Bigert & Bergström |
Other designers | Lars Hässler |
Renovating team | |
Renovating firm | Riksbyggen |
Website | |
bigertbergstrom |
Solar Egg is an egg-shaped sauna created by the artist duo Bigert & Bergström for Riksbyggen. [1] The sauna sits perched in Luossabacken in Kiruna. The egg consists of a pine wood interior and a highly reflected gold steel panels. [2] Its 4-meter wide interior can fit up to eight people. [3] while the inside still functions as a normal sauna with a wood-heated heart-shaped stove to keep the room around 170 °F. [4] Illumination comes in the form of LED lightning, [5] which is powered by its sets of batteries.
Beyond its function as a sauna, Solar Egg is essentially a public sculpture developed in collaboration with artist duo Bigert & Bergström. [6] The egg was temporarily moved to the Swedish Institute in central Paris, to draw attention to the Swedish design and visitors were able to experience the sauna first-hand. [7] Solar Egg was recognized with Red Dot awards and German Design Awards as well as being nominated in the London International Awards and the Swedish design awards. [8]
The egg shape seeks to symbolize rebirth and new opportunities at the start of Kiruna's urban transformation, a project that involves the relocation of the entire cities districts in response to ground subsidence caused by decades of iron ore minings. [9]
In Kiruna, Sweden, the entire community is being forced to move due to ground complications caused by a nearby ore mine. [10] The Swedish artist duo Bigert & Bergström was commissioned by Riksbyggen to design commemorative social sculpture for the town after the residents voiced fears of losing community spirit after their relocation. [11] The idea appears to be working, as travel groups are now offering free visits to the Solar Egg. [12]