Riksbyggen’s sauna Solar Egg has been on a tour and become globally famous. The sauna was created by the artist duo Bigert & Bergström and exhibited for the first time in spring-winter 2017 at Luossavara ski resort in Kiruna. After that, the Solar Egg has been to Björkliden (in the Kiruna mountains), Paris, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Minnesota (USA) – just to mention a few places. The sauna is now back home in Swedish Lapland; after a stint at the Icehotel, the egg is now located in the TGA area in Tuollavaara, Kiruna.
A global success
The inspiration to the Solar Egg’s shape and function comes from Malmfälten, filled with contrasts and dynamism. After Kiruna, the Egg went on to Björkliden and had a splendid view of the midnight sun and the mountain landscape in summer and early autumn. During autumn 2017 it was taken apart and transported to Paris and an exhibition at the Swedish Institute. After Paris, the Solar Egg spent a few months visiting the Swedish capital, at Artipelag, before heading back home to Swedish Lapland, to Gällivare for a summer. It then spent some time in Copenhagen before heading over to the US and Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the trips abroad the sauna became a global success.
Learn more
The Solar Egg sauna is created by the artist duo Bigert & Bergström for Riksbyggen as a symbol of new beginnings, due to the city transformation taking place in Kiruna. Since 2017, the Solar Egg has travelled the world and has now landed at Tuollavaara, Kiruna.
Facts about the Solar Egg
It stands 4.5 meters tall and has a circumference of 12.6 meters.
The structure weighs 2,750 kilograms.
The wood-burning stove, shaped like a human heart, weighs 750 kilograms.
Assembling the 69 golden panels with 1,512 screws takes between 4 and 5 days.
The cool design
– It’s a fantastic location. You can sit in the sauna, gaze out over the new town center, and reflect on the future of Kiruna,” says Jenny Elveljung, Head of Sales and Marketing at Riksbyggen Bostad Norr.
Its design was created by the duo Bigert & Bergström. The request from Riksbyggen spoke about a “sculptural symbol that inspires thoughts of renaissance”. Perhaps it’s not surprising that the sauna egg ended up in Kiruna first since the whole town is being reborn. It’s also not surprising that it visited Gällivare, as it’s yet another town that’s meant to rise like a phoenix from a cloud of building dust.
At the exhibition in Paris, the egg made a strong impression and captured significant attention.
– Our exhibition “Swedish design moves Paris” was meant to provide an idea of Swedish design, architecture and fashion that wasn’t just aesthetic but provided an experience. Solar Egg did that wonderfully, says Linda Williams, the manager of Visit Sweden’s office in Paris.
The story
Gunilla Norén, manager of communications at the Swedish Institute in Paris even says:
– The Solar Egg has definitely been added to the image of Sweden abroad. It’s because of all the media and the visitors the coverage attracted to our exhibition.
– But it’s also because of the story. It’s not just design for its own sake, the building company Riksbyggen wanted to give something back to the places they work in through the Solar Egg. The Solar Egg concept was something very simple, namely creating a space for communication. Perhaps something that’s lacking in today’s society?
– The sauna is a fascinating space, say the two artists who created the egg, and continue:
– In the clean, simple heat of a sauna, there’s plenty of room for conversations about subjects big and small.
Symbols of starting afresh
The Kiruna mountains are not new to the artist duo Bigert & Bergström. Among other things we’re reminded of a spectacular installation on top of Kebnekaise in 2015 when they covered the highest peak in Sweden with a blanket to protect it from the heat. Just to see if it was possible to stop the glacier from melting. But Solar Egg is less about geo-engineering and more about focusing on man’s practical use of the sauna as a meeting place.
Kiruna Bryggeri is now responsible for operating and maintaining the sauna at its new location, and the plan is for it to remain available for bookings.
– We see it as a valuable asset for the people of Kiruna, and eventually also for tourists visiting the area, says Jenny Elveljung.
There won’t be any more global adventures for the already well-traveled sauna.
– No, it’s home to stay. We’ve donated it to Kiruna Municipality’s art collection, and when it’s no longer used as a sauna, it will remain as a work of art, says Jenny Elveljung.
From Kiruna to Björkliden, Paris, Stockholm, Gällivare, Copenhagen, Minneapolis, USA, and Rättvik in Dalarna, it has now returned to where it all began – Kiruna.
Now, the egg is ready to shine in its hometown.
Photo courtesy of Riksbyggen.
