As the world's northernmost capital and largest city in Iceland, it is unsure whether Reykjavik is a scaled-down city or scaled-up village at first glance. The low density of the city and the active waterfront/harbor, paired with the vast surrounding Icelandic landscape, deceivingly miniaturizes the city. Housing 2/3 of Iceland's total population of around 300,000, it is the heart of the country's economic, cultural and governmental activities. Located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay, you are always aware of the dramatic volcanic landscape that dominates the Icelandic Island with the flat-topped mountain of Esja looming across the bay.
The architectural vernacular of Reykjavik can primarily be considered low-rise, containing numerous urban blocks of two- or three-storey buildings with pitched roofs predominating across the city. Due to the abundance of land that surrounds the area, reasonable population size, and excellent transportation infrastructure, building density has never been seen as a huge issue. Furthermore, frequent seismic activity, which is so prevalent in Iceland, has also dictated building density and construction methods throughout the city. Traditionally, residences and smaller municipal buildings are of wooden-framed construction, detached and usually adjacent to a small private garden or courtyard, allowing light to get into the properties. Most structures in the area are most commonly clad in wooden planks or painted corrugated iron and steel sheathing. The most popular vernacular material seems to be the exterior corrugated metal sheathing, due to it's resistance to high coastal winds, light structural weight and great structural strength. The most interesting aspect of this construction is it's individualistic nature, with residents often painting this common material with bright vibrant colors and designs, emulating the richness of the Icelandic landscape and providing vibrance during the dark winter months. The only real sign of contemporary construction (glass, steel, etc.) can be found in the lowest topographic point of the city, the waterfront, which allows taller structures to create long shadows under the low arctic sun and not seriously affect the surrounding context. The manipulation and control of natural daylight is a major driving force in architectural and urban design, with the extreme artic sun position throughout the year. (minimal sunlight in the winter, minimal darkness in the summer).
Historically, Reykjavik was settled by Norwegian Vikings around AD 870, locating the site from steam coming from the hot springs in the region, inspiring Reykjavík's name, which loosely translates to Smoke Cove (the city is often referred to as the Bay of Smokes or Bay of Smoke). Fishing and agriculture were, and continue to be, major industries around the city, with little resources to work with in the area. The original building type for the region, the Icelandic turf house, was the product of a difficult climate, offering superior insulation compared to buildings solely made of wood or stone, and the relative difficulty in obtaining other construction materials in sufficient quantities. At the time of settlement, Reykjavik was fully forested, but limited due to the volcanic landscape. This meant that it was difficult to build large and complex structures and ships, culminating with a lack of vessels that could transport large cargoes. Due to the lack of transport and Iceland's remoteness, importing foreign timber was not very common and mostly reserved for ship and church building. However, Iceland did have a large amount of turf that was suitable for construction, making the Icelandic Turf House an ideal building type. As time went on, trade became more achievable and relevant, making additional materials available to the secluded island city.
