Competition: Grjótagjá viewing tower, Iceland

Open to everyone, the competition seeks proposals for a new tourist infrastructure at the popular attraction which featured in the television series Game of Thrones and has now become a magnet for international visitors resulting in significant erosion of the surrounding fragile natural landscape.

The project – backed by the landowners of Vogar farmland – aims to identify an eco-friendly solution for visitors to the remote site and the winning schemes will be considered for construction. Proposals must be cost-effective; resistant to heat, cold, rain, snow, and wind; environmentally responsible and energy-efficient; able to generate electricity and provide safe drinking water; and low maintenance.

According to the brief: ‘With increasing numbers of tourists coming in search of the perfect Instagram spot, the natural lava fields are sustaining damage. Therefore, in order to protect the natural landscape, the landowners are looking to make the fissure safer and more accessible, with stairs and platforms situated at key points, so that visitors aren’t forced to crawl around dangerous caves and rock outcrops.

‘For this competition, participants are tasked with creating designs for a stopping point for tourists to visit before exploring the caves. The jury is looking for designs for a viewing tower, one that can act as a landmark visible from a distance, as well as offering visitors views of the surroundings from its viewing platform. The base of the tower should be able to accommodate a small visitor centre consisting of a one-person office and a small café.’

Grjótagjá is a collection of three small caves located near Lake Mývatn in northern Iceland. It has been a popular bathing spot with locals since the 1940s but is becoming more popular with tourists now that the temperature of the nearby geothermal Vogagjá caves has increased significantly making bathing less comfortable.

 

The competition – the fourth of its kind organised by Bee Breeders focussing on tourism sites in Iceland – seeks proposals for a unique viewing tower which draws visitors’ attention to the European and North American continental places meeting on the land’s surface and in the caves below.

Teams must harness sustainable construction methods and details plans for providing potable water and sanitation on site. Proposals must include modular walking paths, stairs, information points, a café and office space for one person. Parking space for up to 30 cars will also be required along with gated entry points and safe transit routes through the cave systems.

The overall winner, to be announced 2 March, will receive €5,000 while a second prize of €2,000, third prize of €1,000 and six honourable mentions worth €500 each will also be awarded.

 

The Whale case study: Q&A with Dorte Mandrup

The Danish architect discusses lessons learned designing a new visitor attraction for whale spotters in Norway’s Arctic Circle

How will your project create a new viewpoint for whale watching within the Arctic Circle of Norway?

Around 300 km North of the Arctic Circle lies Andenes, one of the best places in the world to spot whales. The small town is surrounded by rugged mountains, the vast ocean, and a dramatic underwater landscape. These surroundings are a defining influence on the new visitor centre and viewpoint, The Whale. Placed by the edge of the water, The Whale rises naturally as a soft hill in the rough landscape. As if a giant had lifted a thin layer of the earth and created a new topography. The curved roof becomes a new, spectacular viewpoint, which visitors and locals are invited to walk on. From there you can overlook the archipelago, marvel at the midnight sun’s reflection in the sea or the northern lights dancing over the sky.

Which architectural, material, visual and other methods did you harness in your design?

The landscape surrounding The Whale is crucial for the design of the building. The form of the roof is defined by three high points on the site, and the foundation is influenced by the landscape beneath it. The surface of the roof is covered with natural, unworked stones from the area, and large windows opening towards the archipelago underline the connection between landscape and building. Reminiscing both a whale’s tale and behavior, the museum seeks to adapt to its conditions.

On the inside the curved shell form a large, pillar-free ceiling covering the entire building.  An organic shaped wall combined with an open floor plan creates dynamic rooms in different sizes and proportions. The long horizontal view of the mountains and archipelago creates a direct visual connection between the surroundings and the exhibition. A connection underlined very literally by the rocks entering the museum in multiple places.

What advice would you have to contest participants on creating a viewing platform for visitors to Iceland’s caves?

Dedicate the necessary time, care, and attention to understand the uniqueness of this specific context. Find its DNA, its potential, and use it to explore different pathways, which can inform your design and evoke a solution underlining and enhancing exactly this place.