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A recent architecture graduate from the has teamed up with another emerging British designer to create The Legacy of the River, a temporary futuristic ice suite in Sweden鈥檚 famous Ice Hotel just 200km into the Arctic Circle.

The competition takes place each year attracting a mix of experienced returning artists and young designers. The Legacy of the River will be one of 19 unique ice suites that will live for four months after which they will melt and the water returned to the Torne River. In that time, the hotel expects some 60,000 visitors.

About the scheme

Architect Ian Douglas-Jones founder of and Ben Rousseau of were inspired by Disney鈥檚 latest Tron: Legacy. Working in harsh conditions 鈥� some days reaching as low as 32掳C - the duo translated the film鈥檚 futuristic sets and dramatic lighting, completing the scheme in Jukkasj盲rvi in just 12 days.

鈥淲e used ethnology never seen in the hotels 21 year history. High-tech aesthetic and strong geometries are also a feature that set it apart,鈥� explains Douglas-Jones. 鈥淗owever, the hotel is famed for its diversity, and each year there is a plethora of different designs. It鈥檚 this variety and creative energy that attracts us as designers to the project.鈥�

Rousseau and Douglas-Jones used ice and snow as their principle material. 鈥淚n order to realise our concept and act as total counter point to the prevailing natural material we used a little know high-tech light source: electro-luminescent wire,鈥� notes Douglas-Jones. 鈥淭his stuff uses organic phosphors so when charged it gives a very consistent light, perfect for this application.鈥�

Crucially, the wire uses negligible energy, ideal for a suite that had to be lit for four months. Douglas-Jones explains: 鈥淲e grappled with how this was going to work in the ice as EL is greatly affected by moisture 鈥� not great when your main material is water!鈥� The team came up with a solution to protect the wire and enable it to be embedded in the ice to give the straight lines they wanted.

The duo are now in the midst of editing the footage they shot at the hotel for a forthcoming pilot Extreme Design All Conditions, with part of the mini trailer currently screening on the Discovery鈥檚 internet channel.