Project for a visitors center and employee lounges at the Blue Lagoon geothermal power plant


Proposal for a visitors center and employee lounges at the Blue Lagoon powerplant in Svartsengi, S-W Iceland. The site is most popular by visitors coming to bathe in the hot lagoon formed by geothermal water discarded by the powerplant

The existing powerplant in the lava field




Site plan.
Showing the relationship between the proposed (green) building   in the lava field, and the  powerplant.




3rd floor plan of the employee facilities. The floors of the building are stepped within in a large entrance hall. Note the 2nd floor employee connection ramp/bridge over the road to the plant




Ground floor plan
Shows the large glass facade flanked by two entrances. The auditorium is easily turned into a public dining hall, or a conference room. A smaller flexible shaped meeting room with a large table in the shape of  Reykjanes  is farther inwards. Reykjanes is the peninsula province where the powerplant operations  are  based. In the center is a full building height gallery space, focusing on various powerplant reserarch and history. It could house such items as tall bore drill fragments or bore hole cores.




Front elevation, facing powerplant. Its main feature is a large window from within which views of the powerplant are framed.




Partial / up-close image of elevation. The structure is all covered in metal sheets, glass and grass




2nd floor plan, showing staff cafeteria, related facilities and the projection monitor for films, exhibits or slide shows




All design work and drawings are made by Olafur Thordarson. Text reviews were made by Einar Örn Gunnarsson and Thor Tomasson. Thanks to Skuli Sverrisson for insightful comments.