A group of ten interdisciplinary urban design specialists have launched a petition calling for changing attitudes in city planning and design. The petition demands immediate action to halt the contemporary urban development in Iceland. They claim financial interests driving planning and construction, as opposed to the public good
In conversation with Vísir, architect Magnús Skúlason claims being appalled by Reykjavík’s urban development. The city is becoming uglier, said Magnús and called for factoring in beauty in the city’s construction efforts.
According to Páll Jakob Líndal, PhD in environmental psychology, economic and financial demands pervade urban design, affecting the public good. The urban environment is turning unhealthy, Páll argues.
Chair of Reykjavík’s planning committee and Pirate Party councillor Dóra Björt Guðjónsdóttir disagrees. Interviewed by Vísir, Dóra says Reykjavík is transforming from a town into a city. However, she agrees that beauty is often an afterthought when designing and implementing new construction.
Dóra claims that laissez-faire policies have dominated among the right-wing parties in city government, resulting in the belief that free enterprise will solve the housing issue. She thinks that the municipality should create a firmer frame in which to operate. On the other hand, the responsibility also lies with the construction firms.
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