Monday, June 15, 2009

Absolut Ice Bar

This being my second summer in Scandinavia, I had to swallow my pride and give into my curiosity to go to one of the hottest tourist attractions: Absolut Ice bar in Stockholm, located in the Nordic Ice Hotel.











Ice Glass...yes it starts melting as you drink.

Of course, its fun for anyone going through town no matter what age. Its entertaining and charming, with just about everything being made of clear ice blocks, from the walls, furniture, AND accessories. I head the ice is harvested from Torne River on the border between Sweden and Finland (basically the arctic circle), where the Nordic Ice Hotel is (temporary hotel made of ice and snow).











Ice bucket made of clear ice block














Bar furniture



















Loungin'













The bar is kept at a temperature of 5 celcius, so they give you a cape and gloves to wear. I was under the impression that they give you boots as well (atleas the one in Copenhagen), but in Stockholm, this is not the case. So if you ever plan on going, don't be like me and wear heels because you will be COLD.

With a entrance fee of 20 bucks, you get to stay there an unlimited time, and get one absolut vodka drink. I myself had a berry based & summer drink to help me stay warm. What would I ever do without my absolut?















No design is ever perfect, so here are my issues with it: the design for the bar seems like it was an afterthought after the hotel was already built, while its form should've been incorporated within. the form could've (and should've) been something more organic in nature with more variations in the ceiling other than a flat run of the mill one. I know, I know, budgetary constraint...even then, one could run with the "ice block" concept and design very bold, straight cubes as a start.

Secondly, they could've paid more close attention to how the ice block walls meet the solid walls of the hotel because from the way it is, its very haphazard. Then there is the issue of how the sprinklers are placed without any sort of creative thought on the ceiling. I guess they figure...cold+alchohol=no one will notice these details. Perhaps I should've drank more?

1 comment:

  1. Damn straight you should have had a second drink. I agree with you about them not integrating the bar into the hotel all that well. It doesn't seem to hurt popularity though. I suggest one of your summer projects be an ice sculpture you take back to Baltimore!

    ReplyDelete