Apartment in Reykjavik : By Gudmundur Jonsson Architect

Reykjavik, Iceland
Gudmundur Jonsson Architect
Post By:Kitticoon Poopong

Photo © Courtesy of Gudmundur Jonsson Architect

The Oslo, Norway based architect Gudmundur Jonsson, has shared some photos with of an apartment interior he designed for himself in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Casa G by Gudmundur Jonsson Architect

Project description of Casa G by Gudmundur Jonsson Architect:

The concept of Casa G is based on reading and feedback to the landscape it exists on. The characteristic landscape situation and view differences distinctively in each direction. Towards south the view to the sea and islands, towards north the characteristic triangular mountain, towards east the glacier and towards west the river and canyon.

Those elements are the creator of the project, the transitions between the landscape views giving the entrance from the north and the curved plan giving a vitalized focus towards the seaside in south. When turning back the north view towards the mountain is as well enhanced with the widening view due to the fan-shape of the tilting wooden wall, being a mediator between the northern and southern landscape characteristic.

The tilting is an answer and an interpretation of the glacier towards east, they are communicating and the only and huge window in that wall is creating “a painting” of the glacier experienced from the interior.

The guest-wing of the building stretches to the canyon and the river towards west. Thus the building concept is a composition and dialogue of views and experiences of the various nature at site.

Norveg Coast-Cultural Center by Gudmundur Jonsson Architect

Project Description of Norveg Coast-Cultural Center by Gudmundur Jonsson Architect:

Norveg is situated in the Community Rørvik which has long tradition for fishery, and represents the utmost of the Norwegian coastal culture through ages. Today there is a boat-building industry carrying on the tradition, but in a modern way.
Beeing situated by the coast, represents in one way a challange bringing visitors to the place, ensuring economic stability in the organization of the center. Therefore the Architect stated, that a building of significance was needed to ensure attention to this community.

The Architect “visited” the ancient times of fishery and used the culture for inspirition in creating the idea. Thus the idea is based on the image of 3 sails which lean against a modern vessel, such uniting the sailing-boat tradition and the modern ships. The building becomes an evolution of a coast-cultural history visualized in architecture. The building even consists of an after-deck or a hind part to complete the interpretation of the ship-inheritage.

The organization follows the architectural elements. The main central vessel or hull as the spine of the building housing the administration, kitchen and technical plants. The sails covering the foyer, restaurant and temporary exhibition. The big rock on the other side symbolizing the shore the ship is docking to, containing the multimedia and concert/auditorium space. At last the after-deck containing the coast-cultural exhibition also designed by the same Architect.

Climate by the sea demands carefullness in the choice of materials. Therefore the use of Alucobond in the Sails was necessary because of its endurance. The main ship consists of concrete, casted by horisontal formwork boards to illude the ship, and the afterdec-walls are covered with wooden boards specially impregnatet to interpretate the old wooden boats.

The building has allready managed to arouse a great interest outside Rørvik and the northern part of Norway, but the most important part is that it allready has achieved to arouse optimism in the Community, creating other investments, and leading to other buildings and enthusiasm in the society. In such way it has in its small scale established a kind of a Bilbao-effect for a community of 10.000 inhabitants and is still carrying on its mission as an architectural symbol of history in evolution.