Hveragerði

a place for artists

June 23, 2018

Graduation project for the 3rd year students in architecture, spring 2018

N63° 59’ 56.297” W21° 11’ 16.853”

Artists residency

For centuries, artists, designers, scholars, and scientists have chosen to temporarily move to a new place for the purpose of contemplating, refreshing, and experiencing more varied aspects of their work: for artistic creation, design, research, or production.

The main role of such activities is twofold. On the one hand, to give those who stay, the guest, the opportunity to get to know new cultures, new people and new environments that, more often than not, will open their eyes to fresh approaches, materials, ideas, solutions and ways in their work. On the other hand, such visits are no less important to the host, the communities that receive the guests. In many cases, artists become active members of the community and have a direct impact on them through conversations, collaborations, events, and interventions in different aspects of social life.

In this way, the visitors can make a positive impact, inspire the locals, and contribute to a better and more inviting community. Other guests are less directly involved during their stay, taking a break, and choosing to use the space they have at their disposal and the environment in a different way. Nevertheless, they work with their experience of the place and can stimulate it with new connections and tasks, in one way or another. Either way, the place will be richer.

Artist residences are as diverse as they are many. They can be part of larger institutions, museums, schools, companies, municipalities, or independent entities. The activities can be seasonal or continuous throughout the year, and the length of stay varies, and is determined by the tasks, that are being done at any given time. The number of people staying in residences at any one time is also varied. There is no one right formula for residency, but most of them have a common idea of building their uniqueness on the characteristics of the place where they are located.

The project

The students were to design the architecture for residencies that offered places for artists’ activities, work, and exhibitions. These were to be located within the town boundaries of Hveragerði and the activities were to be linked to the resources, infrastructure, and peculiarities of the place. Students decided on the location, weight and number of buildings and should justify their approach with reference to the project and the location.

Students were also free to choose whether they utilized the town’s structures, and in some way worked with them and existing activities, or whether they chose to approach the residence as a single independent structure.

Emphasis was placed on the students creating a holistic view of the project, and showing how they conceived the role of the residency in the human environment of Hveragerði – how can architecture intertwine place and activity and be established in the artistic town of Hveragerði?

In the resulting works, the students produced a wealth of inspiring designs and plans, which may in the future be reflected in the environment of the town.

Students:

Andrea Sif Hilmarsdóttir, Elías Beck Sigurþórsson, Ellert Björn Ómarsson, Elma Klara Þórðardóttir, Hildur Helga Pétursdóttir, Hulda Ragnhildur Hjálmarsdóttir,

Kristín Guðmundsdóttir, Matthildur Hafliðadóttir, Ríkharður Már Ellertsson, Sarah Daisog Mangubat, Sturla Hrafn Sólveigarson, Viktoría Hrund Kjartansdóttir

Þórbergur Friðriksson