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DesignMarch 2026: Design, Everywhere, All At Once
From hemp houses to sustainable fashion, DesignMarch 2026 connects disciplines, materials, and people Despite it being May on the calendar, DesignMarch is back, once again ignoring its own name and sprawling across Reykjavík and even beyond May 6 to 10. Now in…
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Arnhildur Pálmadóttir Receives Nordic Council Environment Prize
Architect Arnhildur Pálmadóttir received the Nordic Council Environment Prize. The winners were announced in a ceremony broadcast across all Nordic countries on October 22, RÚV reports. Arnhildur, founder of s.ap architects and currently working with Danish architectural firm Lendager in Iceland, was…
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Ask An Expert: Why Are Icelandic Houses So Colourful?
If you’ve ever walked down Hverfisgata, or any street in Iceland for that matter, you’ve probably noticed a wide range of house colours. Vibrant greens, blues, purples—you name it, there’s a house in that colour. While we appreciate the architectural rainbow, we…
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Gufunes Neighborhood Receives Transformation Plans
Sea baths, a swimming pool, a kindergarten, a packaging-free store and an underwater restaurant will soon be built in Gufunes, RÚV reports. The Reykjavík City Council has approved the Þorpið-Vistfélag proposal that has recently won the competition to design the Gufunes pier.…
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Future Look Of Lækjartorg Square Revealed
Lækjartorg square, at the center of Reykjavík, will get a new look in the coming years, Vísir reports. The winner of a design contest that included a project for the square and the adjacent streets has been announced on March 4. The…
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Resolution Found In Húsafell Tombstone House Mediation
A resolution has been found in the debate over the status of the tombstone house in Húsafell after a controversy spanning five years. History A statement posted on his Facebook page told the story. The structure was built in 2016 by Páll…
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Portrait of a City: Reykjavik Between Legend, History, and Tourism
This article originally written in Italian for Il Giornale dell’Architettura (The Architectural Post) by Sofia Nannini was translated by Nico Borbely. Sofia Nannini is a PhD student in History of Architecture at Politecnico di Torino. Her research interests focus on construction and…
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Bolafjall Cliff Edge Viewing Platform Receives Huge Investment
Yesterday’s announcement of an 160 million ISK grant brings the dream of constructing a viewing platform on the cliff edge of Bolafjall mountain, one step closer to realisation. Once complete this pioneering architectural project will provide visitors with expansive views over Ísafjörður,…
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Reykjavík of Yore: Laugardalshöllin
Laugardalshöllin was Iceland’s largest gymnasium for decades. The house was designed by Gísli Halldórsson and Skarphéðinn Jóhannesson, and its construction finished in the year 1965. It has significant meaning for Icelanders—not only as a sports arena, but also as the battleground for…
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Reykjavík of Yore: Hallgrímskirkja
Pictured here is probably the best-known landmark in Reykjavík, and perhaps the most Instagrammed one, too. The church Hallgrímskirkja is named in honour of Iceland’s most prominent writer of religious poetry, Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614-1674). The older image dates from 1969, when the…
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The Marshall House Opens!
Grandagarður 20 is a stunning building. On sunny days it stands stark against the blue sky, four stories of chipped paint and glass. On overcast days its white shades and translucent windows blend into the clouds. The building was originally used as…
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PHOTOS: ‘Ytri Höfnin’ Graduation Exhibition
The graduation exhibition by bachelors students in design, architecture and fine arts from the Iceland Academy of the Arts is one of the main art events of the year. This extraordinary exhibition is closing on Sunday May 8th and we urge anyone interested…
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The Skeleton On The Hill: A Look At Hallgrímskirkja In Its Infancy
Hallgrímskirkja is arguably Reykjavík’s most emblematic landmark. The Lutheran church was commissioned in 1937 and was built over the course of forty years, between 1945 and 1986. During this long construction period, the church, with its 75-metre tower, resembled a skeleton, as…
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Video: The Colourful Houses of Reykjavík
Reykjavík’s colourful, quaint, iron-clad houses are a source of constant fascination to visitors. But as well as being decorative, the material has a very practical use. The iron was first imported from England in the late 1800s for use in roofing, but…
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Review: ‘Scarcity In Excess: The Built Environment And The Economic Crisis In Iceland’
Ever since the year 2008, the word “kreppa” (crisis) has been among the most-used by Icelanders, a part of daily parlance and the subject of many a publication, dissertation and research venture. The little island suddenly had the world’s spotlight, and not…
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Hallgrímskirkja Among World’s Weirdest Buildings
Hallgrímskirkja has been voted one of the world’s weirdest buildings, reports Vísir. According to the Top 50 Weirdest Buildings list, Hallgrímskirkja is the third strangest looking building on the planet. The Stone House in Guimarães and the Casa Da Musica – both located in…
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American Builds 19th Century Icelandic House In Cape Cod
An American engineer has built a replica of a 19th century Icelandic house in Cape Cod, reports Vísir. David D. Coughanowr has been visiting Iceland since he was a child and claims to be an ambassador of Iceland in his hometown. “My parents…