AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.12.1993, Page 73

ENGLISH SUAAMARY
into which the country was divided in
olden times. A rowan tree which grows on
the site will remain, supplemented by other
trees and shrubs. A wooden house on the
site, dating from 1903, will be moved to a
new location.
PAGE 48: THE YALI HOUSES ON THE
BOSPORUS
A discussion of the Yali houses built dur-
ing the era of the Ottoman empire, espe-
cially those built in the 18th century.
PAGE 50: PUBUC TRANSPORT AND
CITY PLANNING
Planner Haraldur Sigurðsson writes about
the steadily dropping use of the Reykjavík
bus system, as the use of private cars
increases. He discusses transit-supportive
land-use planning, and mentions factors
which affect the potential for an efficient
and well-used bus service to exist, such as
dense development, mixed land use, and
facilities for pedestrian traffic. None of
these criteria applies to Reykjavík. A
radical change of planning policy would
be necessary in Reykjavík if the planners’
declared aim of maintaining a good public
trandport system is to be put into practice.
PAGE 58: CAN ARCHITECTURE AND
LANDSCAPE BE RECONCILED?
Art historian Halldóra Arnar calls for
stronger links between the natural envi-
ronment and buildings. She mentions the
traditional Icelandic gabled farmhouse as
an example of compromise between man
and nature. Architecture can also reflect
and promote an ideology. People cannot
remain indifferent to the appearance of
their surroundings.
PAGE 60: ALLTHATTWADDLE ABOUT
ART, GOOD GOD!
Olöf Guðný Valdimarsdóttir interviews
architect Hannes Kr. Davíðsson, one of the
older generation of architects in Iceland.
He discusses a variety of buildings he has
designed, from the Agricultural Research
Insitute to churches, detached houses, phar-
macies, an apartment block, and an art
gallery. He feels that architects today are
less original than in the past, and that
technicians have been invading architects’
territory. He criticises the links between
city planning and individual architects,
which he says lead to corruption. Asked
about the technical/artistic aspects of ar-
chitecture, he points out that good archi-
tecture builds upon solid technical princi-
ples, but that an abundance of art cannot
save bad architecture. „And all that twad-
dle about art, good God! No thank you.“
He feels that to establish a school of archi-
tecture in Iceland would be a false step,
although a foundation course could be
offered in Iceland, leading on to further
studies abroad.
PAGE 66: SATELLITE
COMMUNICATIONS WITH FISHING
VESSELS
Gylfi Aðalsteinsson writes about develop-
ments in satellite-based communications
and monitoring sy stems, which have many
potential applications, such as policing
national fishing zones, a security system to
receive distress signals from vessels in
danger, etc. There is also longer-term po-
tential for using satellite-based communi-
cations in connection with sales of fish
products on a single computerised Euro-
pean market. The author points out that
Iceland should be involved with this new
development „from the ground floor“, bear-
ing in mind the crucial importance of the
fishing industry to the country. This could
form the basis of new hi-tech industry.
Otherwise, Iceland will simply find itself
importing hi-tech gadgets from other coun-
tries
PAGE 72: FOCUS ON THE
ENVIRONMENT
Stefán Thors, head of the Physical Plan-
ning Agency, writes about the introduc-
tion of regulations on environmental im-
pact assessment, which will take force
next year. These will bring Iceland into
line with European Community standards.
PAGE 82: INGOLFSTORG
Ingólfstorg is a new piazza under con-
struction in downtown Reykjavík. It is to
provide a place of assembly for meetings,
entertainments, etc. Future plans for the
area are intended to consolidate the links
from the City Hall by the Lake, to the
Harbour. Although some traffic flow will
be allowed on Aðalstræti, by the piazza,
public transport is given priority. While
work has almost been completed on the
piazza, more remains to be done on adja-
cent areas. This is to be completed by June
17 (National Day) 1994.
PAGE 86: ON THE DRAWING
BOARD: A PIAZZA IN LITLI
SKERJAFJÖRÐUR
A design for a piazza in a district of
Reykjavfk, by Margrét Þormar of
Reykjavík City Planning Department. The
circular piazza will be surrounded by a
wall of stacked turf, a traditional method
of construction in Iceland. Suggestions of
flowering shrubs and plants are made. The
design is also meant to provide an echo of
the fairground which once stood on this
site. Other features include a bench and
sand-pit. The piazza is intended to pro-
vide a setting for all kinds of leisure pur-
suits, from sunbathing to organised drama
presentations. ■
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