Groundbreaking technology will make it one of the first net energy-positive property in the world.

The 94-room Six Senses Svart combines a futuristic design and technological innovation with earthy, organic materials that use the least embedded energy. It is set to open in 2024. The name Svart, which means black and blue in old Norse, is a reference to the natural heritage of the ancient Svartisen glacier. In order to minimize the on-site impact, Six Senses Svart is poised on poles above the waters of the Holandsfjorden fjord, at the base of the glacier itself.

Six Senses Svart aims to raise awareness of the possibilities of regenerative travel and the importance of the polar region, in partnership with the local community. Inherent in the project is the commitment not to compromise the fragile and pristine glacial surroundings or the quality of the landscapes. The project has been a long time in the planning to make sure all parts of the operation support the vision from the start.

The design concept is based on five major pillars : 

• Environment and nature
• Sustainability 
• Technological innovation 
• Wellness 
• Mindfulness

Taking its cue from the “fiskehjell” (an A-shaped wooden structure for drying fish) and the “rorbu” (a coastal fisherman’s cabin), Six Senses Svart will be constructed on poles, ensuring minimal land impact and seabed disruption. The roof allows to collect energy while offering a panoramic view.

Pioneering wellness is central to the Six Senses DNA, with each guest room becoming a wellness concierge through the Svart Touch concept. For instance, touchless technology will adapt the room to the guest’s state of mind and health.

Six Senses Svart is the first building to be designed and built after the highest energy-efficiency standard in the northern hemisphere. It will harvest enough solar energy to go back into the system, covering the hotel, adjacent operations, boat shuttle, and the energy needed to construct the building. Such energy-positive buildings could deliver 89 percent of the 45 percent decrease in emissions required to reach the scenario where global warming is limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

It will also be self-sustaining, complete with its own waste and water management, recycling, and renewable infrastructure. The team will work with existing sustainable fishing and farming operations and engage local like-minded suppliers for the restaurants and bars.

Guests are welcomed into signature standards such as Eat With Six Senses, Sleep With Six Senses and Grow With Six Senses, the brand’s edutainment program for younger guests created around the six dimensions of wellness. The hotel will feature several areas such as the Experience Center, the Alchemy Bar, the Earth Lab, a Svart Design Lab and the Marketplace. 

Sustainable properties call for extraordinary creativity, and Six Senses Svart takes us to a whole new level in terms of pushing boundaries. The concept has become bigger than the project itself, as it will provide a futuristic showcase for what can be achieved in terms of sustainability and energy solutions, and therefore a blueprint within our hospitality industry and the development sector in general.

Neil Jacobs, CEO of Six Senses 

Building a unique environment through cutting-edge design and superior craftsmanship comes with clear obligations. Creating a sustainable destination through an optimized resort operation requires us to collaborate with the right partner. Six Senses shares the same ethos and ambition, to redefine bespoke travel through technological innovation, carbon-neutral approach, ground-breaking design, and an exceptional guest journey. […] Six Senses Svart is redefining the travel experience through technological innovation, ground-breaking design, and exceptional guest wellness journey by creating a carbon-neutral visionary destination where we can showcase the core pillars of what modern hospitality design and operation can achieve. 

Ivaylo Lefterov, Svart Development Director 

To enhance the vision of Svart, we have established a Net Zero Lab, a vehicle for developing and taking to market the technology created by us in a joint effort with Six Senses to reach the common goal for net-zero travel. This means the guest journey will have zero environmental impact from start to end. The mission is to achieve common ground for all stakeholders pushing the technology to the next level to benefit the resort and the industry at large. 

Jan-Gunnar Mathisen, CEO of the project’s owner and developer