Reykjahlíð Sundlaug
Creating Intimacy within the Inhospitable
Iceland is a sparsely populated country. Aside from it’s capital, the country is made up of many of small, remote towns, often containing less than 1000 people. With this idea of remoteness in mind I began by exploring the spaces in which Icelander’s gather and socialise.
The project focused on the Icelandic Sundlaug or swimming pool. These places have become key social hubs for the communities within these towns, often boasting advance facilities consisting of multiple pools of varying temperatures. It has even been said that a town isn’t considered as such unless it has a swimming pool. Inhabitants living in remote areas in Iceland are brought together by the pools. People will come to these spaces to meet, socialise, play and relax.
The building proposal took on the role of design a Sundlaug and Assembly Halls in Reykjahlíð, a small town in the North of Iceland situated next to Lake Myvatn. The municipality of this region had stated its plans to build such a complex in the town.
Masterplan of Sundlaug and Assembly Halls in Reykjahlíð