Ikebana Room
A bedroom made of ice and snow
The Ikebana Room was designed by brothers Hugh and Howard Miller, and was selected as 1 of 15 ArtSuite bedrooms to be constructed at the IceHotel, Sweden, in 2016, ‘The Ikebana Room’ is inspired by the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging, and the suite embodies the spirit of Japanese design and culture.
Japanese design
Governed by strict rules of proportion and hierarchy, the arrangement of ice and snow in the room are the essence of subtle, harmonious beauty. The focus is the cherry blossom tree, made in crystal clear ice, which sits in contemplative splendour at the far end of the room. The room itself is sculpted into a circle, which frames the tree perfectly in accordance with Ikebana principles.
Ikebana is considered the most ephemeral of Japanese crafts, with the flowers or stems lasting only a few days. This makes ice and snow, with its fleeting, temporary properties, the perfect material to represent it.
From wood to ice
The brothers travelled to Sweden in the winter of 2016 to construct their design. Working in temperatures as low as -30, every part of the room was cut, chiselled and sculpted by hand. The cherry tree leaves were cast in ice, with the formers made from real cherry leaves.
IceHotel opens in mid-December each year, when the ArtSuite bedrooms are revealed. This was the first of 3 ArtSuites that Hugh and Howard have created for IceHotel.
The project was published widely on line and in print, and featured in the BBC's 'Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby' program on IceHotel in 2017. Click on the links below to read more...
Project credits:
Design and construction: H. Miller Bros
Logistical and technical support: IceHotel
Location: Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
Date of completion / closure: December 2016 – April 2017
Photography: Asaf Kliger
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