Floating 5-star Krystall Hotel in Norway to set new sustainable building milestone

A new landmark in the green building sector is being set in Norway where developers have begun construction on a floating 5-star hotel that will set new standards for sustainable construction.

The Dutch architect Koen Olthuis and the development company Dutch Docklands have announced the new Krystall Hotel project which is due for completion in December 2016.

The hotel will float offshore from the northern city of Tromsø, located within the Arctic Circle and is reminiscent of the Dutch Docklands Greenstar development in the Maldives.

The development is designed to have minimal impact on the environment and set new standards in the green building sector.

The Krystall will be 120 meters in diameter and will include 86 guest rooms, conference rooms, and spa and is billed as the ideal location for viewing the Northern Lights due to its glass roof.

Developers are aiming for the hotel to be completely self-supporting and sustainable; it will be built in dry dock and meticulously positioned in place so as not to damage any of the marine life in the area or leave any footprint.

The project is being seen as a landmark in climate change adaptation strategy and could be a precursor to similar developments being built in low lying areas at risk from flooding with rising sea levels putting more and more coastal properties under threat every year.

Olthuis said: “Building on water brings us new space for expansion, safety against floods and flexibility to adjust developments without demolition whenever needed.”

Developers will tether the massive snowflake to the fjord's floor, though it will be able to float about six to 10 feet from its center.