Meet Polestar's Latest Models in a Showroom Made of Snow
You'll need your driving gloves for this one. Electric vehicle company Polestar recently created a showroom in Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, six miles south of the Arctic Circle.
That showroom is made entirely of snow.
Located near buildings designed by lauded architect Alvar Aalto, the Polestar Snow Space contains all the amenities of the nameplate's typical showrooms, including the capacity to test drive cars on a nearby track. Various components of the automobile decorate in the walls, carved from ice by local sculptors.
Polestar takes a low-key approach to advertising, putting design and philosophy first. Its Rovaniemi outpost is a manifestation of the old saying "when in Rome, do as the Romans do"—a travel proverb that reminds people to keep an open mind, adapt to their surroundings and embrace local customs.
The structure is composed of snow harvested from the nearby Ounsvaara ski resort. (Delivered by electric trucks, the white stuff will be returned to Ounsvaara at the end of February.) It plays on a couple of familiar Rovaniemi associations: Santa Claus—whose famous Lapland village is in located there—and Aalto's influential architectural work, much of which colors the city’s downtown area.
Snow was also chosen for its sustainability factor, and the fact that white is part of Polestar’s design palette. “When in Rovaniemi, do as the Rovaniemians do,” the brand says. "Be minimalistic. Be conscious of the delicate environment you’re surrounded by. And use snow."
Snow Space complements the company’s summertime effort: A Koja tree house in the south of Finland, which began as a submission to its 2021 Polestar Design Contest. In 2021, it released a poetic spot by Dentsu featuring U.S. astronaut Karen Nyberg, seen reflecting on earth from space. That same year, a Polestar vehicle made a cameo in a Balenciaga RPG.
CREDITS
Polestar Finland
Martin Österberg, Head of Marketing & PR
Johanna Laune, PR & Communications Manager
Mette Pasanen, Marketing Manager
Justus Tikanoja, Event Manager
Polestar Global
Carl Mårtensson, PR & Communications, Europe
Ulrika Hamrén, Content Production
Magnus Lindell, Designer
Dragan Pavlovic, Designer
Ulrika Hamrèn, Content production
Conor Nally, Editor-in-Chief
Fabian Stark, Copy
Louise Löfgren, Project Manager
Helena Rosenqvist Hallin, Marketing Planner
Felix Sarwe Grankvist, Art Director
Lisa Germundsson, Web Editor
+ Brand & Marketing and PR & Communication teams
External Partners
Construction Company: Frozen Innovations
Brand Company: Bou
Event Partner: Arctic Design Week
