Arkitektúr og skipulag - 01.08.1992, Blaðsíða 95

ENGLISH SUMMARY
carried out when 20-35% of design has
been completed, is accurate to -15% to
+25%. The third is prepared when design
is complete, and tender documents have
been completed. The article concludes
with a consideration for reasons why cost
estimates prove inaccurate, such as
projects being altered during the process
of design, or construction work beginning
before design is complete. Finally, the
point is made that a vaguely defined
project is no basis for a cost estimate; in
this case, any figure is a "guesstimate".
Page 50 The Pearl
Architect Ingimundur Sveinsson writes
about "The Pearl," which stands atop the
hot-water storage tanks on Öskjuhlíð in
Reykjavik, which was opened in 1991,
The building is entirely separate from the
tanks, supported by pillars and curved
walls, which form the "winter garden".
The problem of supporting the top floor
without obstructing the lower, viewing-
platform, floor, is solved by use of
reinforced steel supports. The glass dome,
42 metres across, is supported on a steel
framework which also functions as a
heating and cooling system. The building
was designed to achieve good acoustics.
A special sprinkling system, together with
the fountain, ensures sufficient humidity
for the tropical vegetation in the winter
garden.
Page 54 Furniture: Le Corbusier’s Chair
Jóhanna Harðardóttir writes about Le
Corbusier's chaise-longue design, which
was based on the image of a cowboy,
lying back with his feet up. The chair can
be adjusted to any number of
comfortable positions, and the weight of
the person in the chair will keep it in
place. The chaise-longue, designed in
1928, has acquired the status of a classic,
which f its in well with any kind of f urniture.
Page 55 Antiques
The concept of what is an "antique" is
discussed: does it have sentimental value,
is it simply an investment? A fine English
clock with an eight-day movement,
dating from 1910, and valued at
ISK35.000, is the focus of the article.
Page 57 Plaster: the Answer to “Building
Biology”
The use of plaster, traditional in Europe
for centuries, makes for "healthy"
buildings.
Plaster can easily absorb moisture, but is
never a source of damp, It is harmless to
the skin, and is so free of pollutants that it
can even be used in the foodstuffs
industry, It insulates, does not conduct
electricity and will not burn, as well as
providing sound insulation.
Page 59 The Redesign of a Flooring
Showroom
The Teppaland carpet and flooring
showroom has been re-designed by
interior designer Ómar Sigurbergsson,
using the flooring materials themselves to
create the fittings, such as a free-standing
walltoshowtiles. Carpetingandapattern
of linoleum in the showroom deonstrate
the potential of the materials. Lighting is
by halogen lamps, providing warm
lighting, together with some fluorescent
lighting.
Page 61 No More Trunk Roads in the
Capital Area!
Níels Bjarki Finsen, a student of geography,
describes his project for the Faculty of
Engineering at the University of iceland.
The project aims to find ways to reduce
traffic load in the capital area, thus
obviating the need to build more trunk
roads in the coming years. Factors
include: regional policy (i.e. reduce the
f low of population f rom the regions to the
capital), more collaborative planning
between local authorities in the capital
area, planning within local areas to
reduce the need to travel between
different districts, measures to reduce
use of private cars and increase public
transport, as well as the possibilities offered
by modern technology for people to
work at home via computer links.
Page 63 Lind Ltd.
Architects Kristín Jónsdóttir and Óli Hilmar
Jónsson designed the new 220 m2 off ices
of the Lind finance company: the design
is unconventional, with no right-angle
corners, and no two offices alike. Four
shades of colour are used for walls, as
well as mahogany fittings. Parquet floor
was laid first, so wall units can be moved
about and offices rearranged.
Page 65 Planning and Building Taking
into Account Topography and Local
Weather Factors
GeographerGudrúnHallaGunnarsdottir
writes about a pan-Nordic course in
"biophysical planning", held in four one-
week parts, in Norway, Sweden, Finland
and lceland. Participants learned to
"read"cluestothepredominantclimatic
factors from the landscape at different
seasons. Requirements for daylight and
shelter were considered, as well as
predominant wind directions. Residential
areas, in themselves, influence the
environment around them, e.g. by raising
the temperature, increasing humidity and
changing wind directions by creating
obstacles, A project was carried out for
Hveragerdi. Use of trees and other
vegetation reduces the impact of wind
and snow. The location and shape of
building is influenced by these climatic
factors. All the projects produced during
the course are due to be pubiished this
year by the University of Oslo.
Page 69 The Reykjavík Planning
Committee’s Trip to Central Europe
The Committee has made trips previously
to explore certain aspects of city
planning, e.g. to Denmark, Germany and
Holland in 1984, to the USA in 1989. The
1991 trip included Regensburg, Vienna
(renovation of old building, combination
of pedestrian traffic with bus access,
underground parking in residential
suburbs), Budapest (traffic problems,
pollution, renovation of city centre,
soulless postwar apartment blocks),
Bratislava, Prague (preservation and
renovation of old city, underground
railway to reduce traffic pressure, good
and bad examples of modern residential
development) Karlovy Vary (geothermal
spa), Nurnberg, Frankfurt. The article
finishes with a summary of points where
the Central Europe trip could offer a
contribution, e.g. the handling of city
centres, pedestrian areas, building
regulations in old-established areas,
financial aspects of renovation, new
buildings in old districts, etc.
Page 82 Painted Glass
ArtistMargrétZóphanlasdóttir.whoworks
in glass, recently held a one-woman show
in Reykjavík. She feels strongly that glass
painting is an exciting and unpredictable
art form, The works reflect and change
thesunlight which falls on them, and they
also create another picture when viewed
from outdoors. The artist sees exciting
and as yet unrealised potential for
coloured glass in modern architecture,
Page 84 Reykjavík City Plan 1990-2010
Changes in regulations mean that this
latest city plan took a shorter time to
prepare than previous plans, Land use is
shown on the main map, with fourtheme
maps on the reverse: main construction
ares, main improvementsto roadsystem,
drains and waste disposal, classification
of open areas. Targets are set for
improvements in the traffic system,
reducing number of accidents, etc. A
comparison is made between Reykjavik
and other cities. Reykjavík has often been
likened to the sprawling cities of America,
and its density of population (25 per
hectare) is closer to the American than
European average. Petrol consumption
is, however, much lower than in American
cities. Reykjavík is, on average, more like
a European city, The question of whether
a system of trams could be introduced is
to be considered. The city plan also looks
to the future, and how and in what
directiosn the city will grow in coming
decades.
Page 95 New Attitudes to Open Areas
Björn Axelsson, a student of landscape
architecture, and landscape architect
Kolbrún Þ. Oddsdóttir, consider the
question of ensuring that those with
limited mobility can get around, and
especially in public gardens, etc. Ramps
should be provided alongside steps. and
low walls can be constructed to provide
comfortable resting-places. The
opportunity to grow flowers and plants in
accessible gardens would offer elderly
and disabled people great satisfaction.
The question of access for those who do
not have full mobility must be considered
at every stage of planning, not as an
afterthought.
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