Icehotel

The story

Our DiGidot C4 controllers are being used in many different projects every day. But in rare cases we find our products in truly extra ordinary environments…

In September 2019 we were asked if we could help creating a pixel controlled northern light effect for the Icehotel in Sweden. This request immediately caught our attention because it’s so out of the ordinary. Every year when it starts freezing, a large crew of very skilled and dedicated artists and craftsmen start to create an entirely new hotel, completely made of ice and snow. This means that this part of the Icehotel in Sweden only exists for one season. Various artists design completely new themes for the hotel and its rooms. The Icehotel offers a truly one of a kind experience to their guests because they literary sleep in an immersive sub zero design environment.

The design team of Anna Öhlund and John John Pettersson came up with an inspiring design concept for one of the suites which is called; ‘Roussut - The light you can hear’. Their design was inspired by the aurora borealis light, flora & fauna of the arctic region and the sensation of hearing the lights in the sky, according to the local people.

Key ingredient for this themed ice suite is a simulation of the aurora borealis. This light is constantly in motion and changes its colors in four different scenes throughout the day.

We supplied a DiGidot C4 Extended with PxLNet Transmitter and OneEightyOne supplied tailor made waterproof flexible RGBWW Digi Pixel Strips in order to create the aurora borealis effect. The Digi Strips were cleverly integrated in the ice walls and clear ice bricks that are covered with snow were used as light guides between the strips, in order to spread the light evenly and to create an illuminated surface. The DiGidot C4 was installed in a waterproof box underneath the ice bed and a PxLNet Transmitter was used to send the SPI signals to the Digi strips in the walls.