The entire construction process is extremely sensitive to the vagaries of weather. For instance, the first roman vault finished in the 2003 hotel was built during the warm weeks of early December, and the ice bond between the snow crystals was weak as a result, causing the top of the vault to sag visibly. In order to keep the hotel in as good shape as possible, there is no heating of any kind. Even the fire - places in the bar and the Hilton Suite are spe- cially designed to radiate minimum heat, and although the interior lighting used throughout does add some heat to the space, the overall effect is not appreciable. Interior temperature hovers around -5°C, slightly warmer than the average outside temperature. Visitors keep their snowsuits and boots on at all times inside the hotel. Taking your clothes off in the middle of a snowy courtyard can be a chilling experience, which is why heated changing rooms are pro- vided for anyone who wants to take a dip in the hot tub. Changing rooms and bathrooms are in a prefabricated trailer, camouflaged by snow vaults that surround it on three sides. Sleeping bags provided by the hotel are rated for -40°C — no pyjamas needed. During the day, the main spaces are filled with diffuse natural light shining through the translu- cent ice walls and columns and reflected off the white snow walls. Windowless guestrooms are lit by fluorescent lamps hidden behind the ice block base of the bed platform, creating the illusion that the bed floats on a cushion of light. At night, the main spaces are lit with snake lights inside and coloured floodlights shining on the outside walls. In the main lobby is a fibre optic chandelier with dozens of large ice crys- tals that cycle through a series of colours. A column in the bar with integrated fibre optics achieves a similar effect. The hotel is located on a clearing by the shore of Lac St-Joseph in the Duchesnay Ecotourism Station, about 30 minutes from Quebec City. It is surrounded by a forest of birch and ever- greens. When construction is finished, in early January, the vault forms can be clearly seen. Over the winter, as snow accumulates, the hotel becomes a giant mound of snow, difficult visually to separate from the site. This magni- fies the effect on visitors as they walk into the lofty, cathedral-like space of the entry lobby for the first time. Architects: Émile Gilbert + associés Designers: Stéphan Gilbert and Karl Loeffler Project manager: Karl Loeffler Client: Ice Hotel Canada For more information, visit emilegilbert.com Karl Loeffler obtained his B.Arch at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California. He has lived in Quebec City, Canada, since 1996.
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