In Sweden’s northernmost city of Kiruna, sits a 16-foot multi-faceted brilliantly reflective golden egg that contains a pine surrounded working sauna that’s open to the residents. This shiny installation, known as the “Solar Egg”, was designed by the Stockholm creative team of Bigert and Bergström for the Riksbyggen housing cooperative. Due to vast amount amount of ore mining that had taken place over many decades, the supply was depleted, the mining company LKAB needed to access the ore under the town. Because the mine is a huge employer in Kiruna, the entire city now has to move three kilometers to the east to accommodate.
Great Big Story caught up with Mats Bigert and Lars Bergström, who spoke how they were inspired to give the residents a beautiful and comfortable space to talk about such a big change.
The thought of people having to move a whole town must be heart wrenching to the people there. The Solar Egg will then work as a golden think tank. …The ambition from the start was for the Solar Egg to become a place where the people of the city can come together and discuss the meaning of this move. …The egg, as a form, is a symbol of something born, and in a way new ideas and thoughts are also born.
