Blue Crystal – Solar powered ice hotel in the middle of the desert
There are temporary ice hotels in the freezing northern towns of Russia to Canada that melt back to the Earth when spring sets in. But Dubai is poised to have an all round ice hotel Blue Crystal. However you will need enormous energy to keep this in solid state especially in the Middle East where temperatures reach as high as 60 degrees and it is also amusing to hear that the Blue Crystal will be sustainable. The German design duo Frank and Sven Sauer claim that Blue Crystal will harness the world’s natural energy sources, keeping it self-sufficient. It will supposedly be powered by solar cells embedded in the icy facade and employ an energy recycling system. So far no one has told us how much energy it will be able to produce and how it will be distributed amongst lounges, cafes, and also the massive task of keeping the iceberg frozen. Somehow I am not convinced on the eco-friendliness of this project. Could be total hoax or just putting dust in the environmentalists’ eyes.
