Architecture of Iceland
Encyclopedia
The architecture of Iceland draws from Scandinavia
n influences and, traditionally, was influenced by the lack of native
trees on the island. As a result, grass
- and turf
-covered houses were developed. Later on, the Swiss chalet style
became a prevailing influence in Icelandic architecture as many timber buildings were constructed in this way. Stone and later concrete
were popular building materials, the latter especially with the arrival of functionalism
in the country. Contemporary architecture in Iceland draws its influences from many sources, with styles varying greatly around the country.
The original turf houses constructed by the original settlers
of Iceland
(from the west coast of Norway
) were based on Viking
longhouses (langhús). The exterior turf walls were lined internally with a wooden frame, which was then panelled, with the roof resting on two rows of pillars dividing the internal space. The main room of the house was known as the skáli, consisting of a central open hearth
and two raised platforms, known as set. Similar designs of longhouse have been found across Scandinavia, the Faroes
and the Scottish isles, as well as Greenland
.
Later houses included an additional living space, the stofa, and would be accompanied by smaller outhouses. This layout also incorporated a pantry
and lavatory. Over the years, the layout became more compartmentalised, eventually to include a baðstofa (a heated sauna
room). In response to the colder Icelandic climate
, the sleeping area was eventually moved into the baðstofa. The design evolved as the entrance was moved between the living room and main room; all the rooms in the house were joined by a central passageway, this layout was known as a gangabær. This was possibly in response to a deteriorating climate, and, as timber supplies dwindled, people went back to living in the one-room baðstofa layout.
Around 1791, under Danish interest, a gable
-fronted design (burstabær) was proposed by Guðlaugur Sveinsson, which became widespread in the south of Iceland
where the climate is warmer. An example of this design is the Glaumbær turf farmhouse at Skagafjordur Folk Museum which was opened in 1952 at the Glaumbær Farm..
By 1900 the design was evolving still, seeing such additions as the framhús, a kind of timber porch at the front entrance of buildings. Today grasshouses are no longer constructed in Iceland (construction stopped in the mid-20th century), and the few remaining examples are generally open to public as open-air museums.
There is some evidence to suggest a Celtic influence in early Icelandic architecture in the form of stone roundhouse
s and sheepcotes, however much of this is still shaded in obscurity.
With the arrival of Christianity in Iceland in 1000, construction began on numerous impressive churches. A majority were probably constructed out of turf, but there were also numerous timber-framed churches, however not much remains of these buildings today. The first stone churches appeared in around in the 18th century, quite late considering the significant lack of timber on the island (even access to driftwood was not widespread).
The church in Hólar
, the largest to be built out of stone, is pictured to the right.
. This type of building was considered very expensive, and is seen in many official buildings such as Bessastaðir
(the presidential residence) and Alþingishúsið
in Reykjavík
. Sooner or later, this type of building was discontinued.
Many Icelanders were themselves encouraged to learn the craft of masonry
during the stone construction boom period, leading to the building of many stone houses which mimicked the design of Icelandic turf houses.
merchants set up permanent trading post
s for themselves. The timber for constructing these residential and commercial premises was mostly prefabricated
and imported. These timber-framed buildings had high pitched roof
s and low walls, and they were tar
red on the outside making them dark in appearance.
With the movement towards independence from Denmark and the implementation of Icelandic free trade
, more diverse architectural styles and influences were brought to the island. Classical influences can be seen in timber buildings from the 19th century, these buildings were often two-storey and had higher walls. Details such as the layout of fenestration
on the building drew from classical traditions. A few buildings in this style remain today.
As the 20th century dawned, Swiss chalet style
architecture was brought indirectly to Iceland under Norwegian
influence. Settling in the Austurland
and Westfjords, they brought with them prefabricated houses which they then erected there. The buildings tended to be taller and with large windows, unlike anything of the styles that had prevailed in Iceland beforehand. Notable features of these buildings were the frieze
s above doors and windows, and eaves
which projected out above the walls. Here the distinctive Icelandic use of corrugated iron (imported from England), in place of external cladding
, was born. The Swiss chalet style was the dominant force in Icelandic architecture in the early 20th century.
The use of timber was banned in urban areas after great fires in Reykjavík and Akureyri
around this time.
Independence movements in Iceland gained a lot of support during the early part of the 20th century, when the country was awarded home rule
from Denmark. Urbanisation began in earnest as the population moved out en masse from rural areas with new technological developments. These social changes had a profound effect upon the architecture of the period.
Concrete
was first used on a major scale as a building material in this period and became extremely popular as an easy and economical construction material. The material has shaped Icelandic architecture from this period. With the arrival of concrete came the first qualified Icelandic architect, Rögnvaldur Ólafsson, who had at first designed in the Swiss chalet style but soon moved on to working in concrete. His first works in concrete resembled closely the stone buildings of earlier times.
Characteristically urban buildings began emerging during this time, such as Austurstræti 16 (designed by Guðjón Samúelsson
) which were concrete constructions. Samúelsson went on to become the leading Icelandic architect of the time. Referencing traditional Icelandic architectural styles, he revived the gable-fronted house design in concrete. This influence can be seen in stylised form in the National Theatre of Iceland
building, for example. Samúelsson was also the designer of Hallgrímskirkja
, one of the tallest structures in Iceland, which was modelled on cliff
faces.
The functionalist architectural style arrived in Iceland in the 1930s, brought by younger architects who would later have great influence on the urban planning
of the country. Unusually, functionalism was not met with as much controversy as it was in other countries at the time. Early functionalist buildings in the country resembled those elsewhere in Europe, but conventional interior layouts being their differentiating feature. Many neighbourhoods would later be built up using the functionalist aesthetic as their guide. The buildings were made distinctively Icelandic with the use of local minerals and seashell
s as dashing. Whole residential districts were dashed in this way. After World War II, larger houses with higher roofs began to appear, with a variety of decorative features marking a departure from the functionalist aesthetic.
The next wave of architectural style to arrive was modernism
, appearing after the country’s gain of independence from Denmark. Influential architects created modernist buildings with low roofs and large windows and large, smooth expanses of colour (in contrast to the dashing style which was popular earlier). Modernist architecture commanded a modernist interior to boot, and so here began a strong furniture industry. New building techniques led to the construction of concrete high-rises in Reykjavík. Here new movements began to show up, such as an increase in popularity of open plan
interiors.
In addition to new styles and influences arriving, a sentiment for the conservation of existing older buildings was founded, with newfound interest in traditional handicrafts. Criticism of modern Icelandic architecture appeared at this time, pointing out energy-wasting
designs and drawing from traditional building techniques such as steep pitched roofs to find solutions.
and Kópavogur
. Many of these projects were proposed during the boom period
before the financial crisis, including Iceland’s first skyscrapers, the Höfðatorg
and Smáratorg
towers. Many of the taller buildings in the Reykjavík area look out of place when compared with their contemporaries, for example traditional wooden houses neighbour the Höfðatorg tower. Other projects include the Reykjavík Concert Hall, currently under construction, whose ambitious plans had originally included a world trade centre. Funding for the concert hall became insecure with the economic crisis, although the Icelandic government has promised the project will be completed with state funding.
en plank
s or corrugated metal. Often they were painted in traditional bright colours Many architectural influences can be seen, notably in the capital, such as the once-popular Swiss chalet style.
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n influences and, traditionally, was influenced by the lack of native
Indigenous (ecology)
In biogeography, a species is defined as native to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention. Every natural organism has its own natural range of distribution in which it is regarded as native...
trees on the island. As a result, grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
- and turf
Sod
Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns...
-covered houses were developed. Later on, the Swiss chalet style
Swiss chalet style
Swiss chalet style is an architectural style inspired by the chalets of Switzerland. The style originated in Germany in the early 19th century and was popular in parts of Europe and North America, notably in the architecture of Norway, the country house architecture of Sweden, Cincinnati, Ohio,...
became a prevailing influence in Icelandic architecture as many timber buildings were constructed in this way. Stone and later concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
were popular building materials, the latter especially with the arrival of functionalism
Functionalism (architecture)
Functionalism, in architecture, is the principle that architects should design a building based on the purpose of that building. This statement is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern...
in the country. Contemporary architecture in Iceland draws its influences from many sources, with styles varying greatly around the country.
Turf houses
Settlement of Iceland
The settlement of Iceland is generally believed to have begun in the second half of the 9th century, when Norse settlers migrated across the North Atlantic. The reasons for the migration may be traced to a shortage of arable land in Scandinavia, and civil strife brought about by the ambitions of...
of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
(from the west coast of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
) were based on Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
longhouses (langhús). The exterior turf walls were lined internally with a wooden frame, which was then panelled, with the roof resting on two rows of pillars dividing the internal space. The main room of the house was known as the skáli, consisting of a central open hearth
Hearth
In common historic and modern usage, a hearth is a brick- or stone-lined fireplace or oven often used for cooking and/or heating. For centuries, the hearth was considered an integral part of a home, often its central or most important feature...
and two raised platforms, known as set. Similar designs of longhouse have been found across Scandinavia, the Faroes
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
and the Scottish isles, as well as Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
.
Later houses included an additional living space, the stofa, and would be accompanied by smaller outhouses. This layout also incorporated a pantry
Pantry
A pantry is a room where food, provisions or dishes are stored and served in an ancillary capacity to the kitchen. The derivation of the word is from the same source as the Old French term paneterie; that is from pain, the French form of the Latin panis for bread.In a late medieval hall, there were...
and lavatory. Over the years, the layout became more compartmentalised, eventually to include a baðstofa (a heated sauna
Sauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
room). In response to the colder Icelandic climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
, the sleeping area was eventually moved into the baðstofa. The design evolved as the entrance was moved between the living room and main room; all the rooms in the house were joined by a central passageway, this layout was known as a gangabær. This was possibly in response to a deteriorating climate, and, as timber supplies dwindled, people went back to living in the one-room baðstofa layout.
Around 1791, under Danish interest, a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
-fronted design (burstabær) was proposed by Guðlaugur Sveinsson, which became widespread in the south of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
where the climate is warmer. An example of this design is the Glaumbær turf farmhouse at Skagafjordur Folk Museum which was opened in 1952 at the Glaumbær Farm..
By 1900 the design was evolving still, seeing such additions as the framhús, a kind of timber porch at the front entrance of buildings. Today grasshouses are no longer constructed in Iceland (construction stopped in the mid-20th century), and the few remaining examples are generally open to public as open-air museums.
There is some evidence to suggest a Celtic influence in early Icelandic architecture in the form of stone roundhouse
Roundhouse (dwelling)
The roundhouse is a type of house with a circular plan, originally built in western Europe before the Roman occupation using walls made either of stone or of wooden posts joined by wattle-and-daub panels and a conical thatched roof. Roundhouses ranged in size from less than 5m in diameter to over 15m...
s and sheepcotes, however much of this is still shaded in obscurity.
Medieval age
The church in Hólar
Hólar
Hólar is a small community located in the Skagafjörður district and situated in northern Iceland.-Location:Hólar is located in the Hjaltadalur valley, some from the national capital at Reykjavík. Hólar has a population of around 100...
, the largest to be built out of stone, is pictured to the right.
Stone buildings
Many high-quality stone buildings were erected in the 18 century, the very first being a mansion on Viðey, made completely out of Icelandic stone. These were some of the first buildings in Iceland to actually be constructed by trained architects, who were from Denmark, as these buildings were constructed for the Danish authorities. The craftsmen involved in the construction of these buildings were also foreign. Icelandic stone buildings from this period were inherently similar to those in Denmark, save the use of timber to clad the roofs instead of slateSlate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
. This type of building was considered very expensive, and is seen in many official buildings such as Bessastaðir
Bessastaðir
Bessastaðir is today the official residence of the President of Iceland and is situated on Álftanes, not far from the capital city, Reykjavík.- History :...
(the presidential residence) and Alþingishúsið
Alþingishúsið
Alþingishúsið is a classical 19th century structure which stands by Austurvöllur in central Reykjavík, Iceland. It houses Alþingi, the Icelandic parliament...
in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
. Sooner or later, this type of building was discontinued.
Many Icelanders were themselves encouraged to learn the craft of masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
during the stone construction boom period, leading to the building of many stone houses which mimicked the design of Icelandic turf houses.
Urbanization arrives
Urbanization also began to appear for the first time around the 18th century, when DanishDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
merchants set up permanent trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
s for themselves. The timber for constructing these residential and commercial premises was mostly prefabricated
Prefabrication
Prefabrication is the practice of assembling components of a structure in a factory or other manufacturing site, and transporting complete assemblies or sub-assemblies to the construction site where the structure is to be located...
and imported. These timber-framed buildings had high pitched roof
Pitched roof
A pitched roof is a roof for which one or more roof surfaces is pitched more than 10 degrees, and alternately a roof with two slopes that meet at a central ridge. Some definitions are even more general, including any roof with a sloping surface or surfaces....
s and low walls, and they were tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
red on the outside making them dark in appearance.
With the movement towards independence from Denmark and the implementation of Icelandic free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
, more diverse architectural styles and influences were brought to the island. Classical influences can be seen in timber buildings from the 19th century, these buildings were often two-storey and had higher walls. Details such as the layout of fenestration
Window
A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
on the building drew from classical traditions. A few buildings in this style remain today.
As the 20th century dawned, Swiss chalet style
Swiss chalet style
Swiss chalet style is an architectural style inspired by the chalets of Switzerland. The style originated in Germany in the early 19th century and was popular in parts of Europe and North America, notably in the architecture of Norway, the country house architecture of Sweden, Cincinnati, Ohio,...
architecture was brought indirectly to Iceland under Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
influence. Settling in the Austurland
Austurland
Austurland is a region in eastern Iceland. Its area is 22,721 km² and its population is 15,300. The biggest town in the region is Egilsstaðir, with a population of 2300. The oldest municipality in the Eastfjords is Seydisfjörðr municipality established 1895, with population of 706 the year...
and Westfjords, they brought with them prefabricated houses which they then erected there. The buildings tended to be taller and with large windows, unlike anything of the styles that had prevailed in Iceland beforehand. Notable features of these buildings were the frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
s above doors and windows, and eaves
Eaves
The eaves of a roof are its lower edges. They usually project beyond the walls of the building to carry rain water away.-Etymology:"Eaves" is derived from Old English and is both the singular and plural form of the word.- Function :...
which projected out above the walls. Here the distinctive Icelandic use of corrugated iron (imported from England), in place of external cladding
Cladding (construction)
Cladding is the application of one material over another to provide a skin or layer intended to control the infiltration of weather elements, or for aesthetic purposes....
, was born. The Swiss chalet style was the dominant force in Icelandic architecture in the early 20th century.
The use of timber was banned in urban areas after great fires in Reykjavík and Akureyri
Akureyri
Akureyri is a town in northern Iceland. It is Iceland's second largest urban area and fourth largest municipality ....
around this time.
20th century and continuing urbanisation
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
from Denmark. Urbanisation began in earnest as the population moved out en masse from rural areas with new technological developments. These social changes had a profound effect upon the architecture of the period.
Concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
was first used on a major scale as a building material in this period and became extremely popular as an easy and economical construction material. The material has shaped Icelandic architecture from this period. With the arrival of concrete came the first qualified Icelandic architect, Rögnvaldur Ólafsson, who had at first designed in the Swiss chalet style but soon moved on to working in concrete. His first works in concrete resembled closely the stone buildings of earlier times.
Characteristically urban buildings began emerging during this time, such as Austurstræti 16 (designed by Guðjón Samúelsson
Guðjón Samúelsson
Guðjón Samúelsson was a State Architect of Iceland.Notable designs include main building of the University of Iceland, the National Theatre of Iceland, the Landakot Roman Catholic Cathedral in Reykjavík and the Church of Akureyri; however his final and most recognized work is the Hallgrímskirkja...
) which were concrete constructions. Samúelsson went on to become the leading Icelandic architect of the time. Referencing traditional Icelandic architectural styles, he revived the gable-fronted house design in concrete. This influence can be seen in stylised form in the National Theatre of Iceland
National Theatre of Iceland
The National Theatre of Iceland in Reykjavík, is the national theatre of Iceland.The theater, designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, was formally opened on April 20, 1950. Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir has been Artistic Director of the theater since 2005.- External links :...
building, for example. Samúelsson was also the designer of Hallgrímskirkja
Hallgrímskirkja
The Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran parish church in Reykjavík, Iceland. At 74.5 metres , it is the largest church in Iceland and the sixth tallest architectural structure in Iceland after Longwave radio mast Hellissandur, the radio masts of US Navy at Grindavík, Eiðar longwave transmitter and...
, one of the tallest structures in Iceland, which was modelled on cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
faces.
The functionalist architectural style arrived in Iceland in the 1930s, brought by younger architects who would later have great influence on the urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
of the country. Unusually, functionalism was not met with as much controversy as it was in other countries at the time. Early functionalist buildings in the country resembled those elsewhere in Europe, but conventional interior layouts being their differentiating feature. Many neighbourhoods would later be built up using the functionalist aesthetic as their guide. The buildings were made distinctively Icelandic with the use of local minerals and seashell
Seashell
A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer created by an animal that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washed up on beaches by beachcombers...
s as dashing. Whole residential districts were dashed in this way. After World War II, larger houses with higher roofs began to appear, with a variety of decorative features marking a departure from the functionalist aesthetic.
The next wave of architectural style to arrive was modernism
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
, appearing after the country’s gain of independence from Denmark. Influential architects created modernist buildings with low roofs and large windows and large, smooth expanses of colour (in contrast to the dashing style which was popular earlier). Modernist architecture commanded a modernist interior to boot, and so here began a strong furniture industry. New building techniques led to the construction of concrete high-rises in Reykjavík. Here new movements began to show up, such as an increase in popularity of open plan
Open plan
Open plan is the generic term used in architectural and interior design for any floor plan which makes use of large, open spaces and minimizes the use of small, enclosed rooms such as private offices...
interiors.
In addition to new styles and influences arriving, a sentiment for the conservation of existing older buildings was founded, with newfound interest in traditional handicrafts. Criticism of modern Icelandic architecture appeared at this time, pointing out energy-wasting
Efficient energy use
Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the goal of efforts to reduce the amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example, insulating a home allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature...
designs and drawing from traditional building techniques such as steep pitched roofs to find solutions.
Contemporary architecture
In recent years, many larger-scale plans have been put forward for both projects in ReykjavíkReykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
and Kópavogur
Kópavogur
Kópavogur is a city and Iceland's second largest municipality, with a population of 30,779.It lies immediately south of Reykjavík and is part of the Greater Reykjavík Area. The name literally means seal pup bay...
. Many of these projects were proposed during the boom period
Boom and bust
A credit boom-bust cycle is an episode characterized by a sustained increase in several economics indicators followed by a sharp and rapid contraction. Commonly the boom is driven by a rapid expansion of credit to the private sector accompanied with rising prices of commodities and stock market index...
before the financial crisis, including Iceland’s first skyscrapers, the Höfðatorg
Höfðatorg tower
Höfðatorg Tower 1 is an office tower in Iceland The building is located in downtown Reykjavík. The height of the building is 70 metres and has a total of 19 floors, from the ground up...
and Smáratorg
Smáratorg Tower
Smáratorg 3 is an office and retail building in Iceland. It is the tallest building in Iceland, surpassing the Hallgrímskirkja in height, and is the fifth tallest architectural structure in the country after the Eiðar longwave transmitter, the masts of Naval Radio Transmitter Facility Grindavik...
towers. Many of the taller buildings in the Reykjavík area look out of place when compared with their contemporaries, for example traditional wooden houses neighbour the Höfðatorg tower. Other projects include the Reykjavík Concert Hall, currently under construction, whose ambitious plans had originally included a world trade centre. Funding for the concert hall became insecure with the economic crisis, although the Icelandic government has promised the project will be completed with state funding.
Style
The architecture of Iceland is mainly low-rise, with many low tower blocks and two- or three-storey buildings with pitched roofs predominating. Houses and smaller municipal buildings were traditionally wooden-framed, and clad in woodWood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
en plank
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
s or corrugated metal. Often they were painted in traditional bright colours Many architectural influences can be seen, notably in the capital, such as the once-popular Swiss chalet style.
Notable buildings
- HallgrímskirkjaHallgrímskirkjaThe Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran parish church in Reykjavík, Iceland. At 74.5 metres , it is the largest church in Iceland and the sixth tallest architectural structure in Iceland after Longwave radio mast Hellissandur, the radio masts of US Navy at Grindavík, Eiðar longwave transmitter and...
- PerlanPerlanPerlan is a landmark building in Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. It is 25.7 metres high. It was originally designed by Ingimundur Sveinsson. Perlan is situated on the hill Öskjuhlíð where there had been hot water storage tanks for decades. In 1991 the tanks were updated and a...
- Smáratorg TowerSmáratorg TowerSmáratorg 3 is an office and retail building in Iceland. It is the tallest building in Iceland, surpassing the Hallgrímskirkja in height, and is the fifth tallest architectural structure in the country after the Eiðar longwave transmitter, the masts of Naval Radio Transmitter Facility Grindavik...
- Supreme Court of IcelandSupreme Court of IcelandThe Supreme Court of Iceland holds the highest judicial power in Iceland. It is the oldest court of law in Iceland and the higher of the two court branches, while the District Courts of Iceland are the lower. Nine judges sit in the court and hold command over the President of Iceland in accordance...