Installed in Kiruna, the sauna ‘Solar Egg’ was created by Riksbyggen together with artist duo Bigert & Bergström as a symbol of new beginnings, due to the city transformation taking place in Kiruna. Since then, the sauna has become a global success and taken on a tour around the world. The sauna was 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. Now it’s back home in Swedish Lapland: at ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi. 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. Its cool 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. Solar Egg is less about geo-engineering and more about focusing on man’s practical use of the sauna as a meeting place: the sun and the egg are symbols of starting afresh, being born again, just like the sauna itself is a symbol and a practical function for conversation and community.
Read more on Swedishlapland.com
