The Icelandic National Concert & Conference Centre, Reykjavik, Iceland
The Icelandic National Concert & Conference Centre gathers inspiration from the northern lights and the dramatic Icelandic nature. Situated in Reykjavik on the boundary between the land and the sea, the building stands out like a radiant sculpture ref lecting both sky and harbour space as well as the vibrant life of the city.
Together with Henning Larsen Architects, Olafur Eliasson has designed the facades of the building – a crystalline lattice of glass and steel. The glass prisms of the facades capture and ref lect the light, mirroring the day and the seasons like “a calendar of light”. The daylight plays in the glass and puts the surface of the building into constant motion. At night it is the light from within that glows out over the city and the surrounding landscape. The balconies in the main foyer offer a spectacular view of the centre of Reykjavik, towards Mount Esja and the glacier at Snæfells Jökull.
The 23,000 m2 concert and congress centre is part of a large masterplan for the harbour area of Reykjavik. Besides the concert and congress centre, the plan comprises a big five-star hotel and wellness centre, a fine arts academy, a bank domicile, a cinema, a new urban plaza and shopping street as well as a number of residential and commercial buildings along the fjord. With the masterplan, Reykjavik’s centre is expanded with a total of 85,000 m2, and the overall objective is to improve the connection between the city centre and the harbour.
Icelandic National Concert & Conference Centre - Building info from Henning Larsen Architects Nov 2007
Client: Austurhofn, East Harbour Project
Construction period: 2005-09
Gross floor area: 23,000 m2
Construction value: 161 mill. EUR
Type of assignment: 1st prize, international competition
Icelandic National Concert & Conference Centre : Henning Larsen Architects
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Icelandic Concert & Conference Centre - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt