Snøhetta reimagines world's northernmost fine dining restaurant

Global architecture and design practice Snøhetta has completed the transformation of Huset, the world’s northernmost fine dining restaurant, creating an interior that draws inspiration from the dramatic light, landscapes and history of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

Located in Longyearbyen, Huset has served as a gathering place since it was built in 1951 as a community hub for the local mining town.

GALLERY

While the mining industry has since declined, the building has remained a cultural landmark and, since the 1980s, has become known for its fine dining offering and one of Scandinavia’s largest wine cellars.

The redesign responds to Svalbard’s unique environment, where months of continuous daylight are followed by extended periods of polar night. Snøhetta used these contrasting natural conditions to inform a warm, tactile interior that balances heritage with contemporary hospitality.

The material palette builds upon the building’s existing character. Two tones of stained oak form the foundation of bespoke joinery and fixed furniture, referencing the varied timber species found in the building’s original coffered cinema ceiling. Öland stone, already present within Huset, has been extended into counters and custom dining tables, while red linoleum flooring introduces warmth through colours that echo the surrounding landscape. Stainless steel provides a contrasting industrial layer that acknowledges the site’s mining heritage.

Textiles play a central architectural role throughout the restaurant. Layers of transparent fabric create a subtle moiré effect that changes with the shifting daylight while improving acoustics and concealing building services. Adjustable textile panels positioned along the windows allow natural light to be filtered without interrupting views across the Arctic landscape.

Developed with lighting designers Anker & Co, the lighting scheme combines ambient, integrated and accent lighting to respond to Svalbard’s extreme seasonal conditions.

“Creating a warm and intimate atmosphere in a place as full of contrasts as Svalbard is both demanding and incredibly exciting,” said Snøhetta project manager and Team Lead Interior Marlene Fenger Vedal.

She added that the project demonstrates how adaptive reuse can deliver more sustainable outcomes by working with existing buildings rather than replacing them.

Custom furniture designed by Snøhetta, including circular and elliptical dining tables, complements solid Swedish pine chairs by Simmer. A private dining room features a three-metre bespoke oak table enclosed by fabric-clad screens, reinforcing the project’s focus on flexibility, craftsmanship and atmosphere.

The completed transformation positions Huset as a destination where architecture, interior design and gastronomy come together while celebrating one of the world’s most extraordinary landscapes.

Images by Mariell Lind Hansen via ArchDaily