A proposal for the town of Hafnarfjörður, Iceland: A community center and a music school as additions to an existing early century church. The strategy was to preserve the small scale of the surrounding town fabric, so characteristic for the town. For this purpose, two houses on the site were incorporated into the design by moving them forward towards the harbour, while using them as a part of a courtyard enclosure. The buildings all wrap around this central court and surrounding walking paths converge in it so as to make it a focal point within the town.

Existing site, showing the two wood frame houses at the top of the site.

A birds eye view of the proposed complex, showing the court within, and how the buildings would have formed a kind of town-center.

The master plan showing the church connection, how the buildings wrap the court and how surrounding walkways feed into the court. The existing church is on the right, proposed community center on top and the music school on the right. The existing, moved old wooden houses are replaced towards the bottom. The entrances to the two new buildings are located on top right of the court, where driveway and walkways converge.

Elevations of the proposed complex (from top), east, north, section looking east and finally the west face of the buildings.

Close up of the floor plan of the 2nd floor of the music school. Note how irregularly shaped rooms would provide for various degrees of reverberations, which should accomodate for the various types of musical instruments used in the rooms. The plan expresses the cacophony normally taking place within a music school.

South elevation of the music school, with the drive thru access into the courtyard.

Elevation of the music school, showing the perspective-like outdoor stage, incorporated into the building front. It was intended for small performances facing the wooded park in front of the complex

Design by Olafur Thordarson, 1990.  This project was created in New York, with valuable help from Judi Choi, Reade Elliott, Thordur Olafsson and Ilse Wurst.