AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.12.1996, Page 81

AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.12.1996, Page 81
E N G L Vilhjálmur Lúðvíksson of the Icelan- dic Science Council describes the re- cently formed, broad-based Institute of Future Studies, a think-tank aimed at analysing and promoting discussion of questions relating to the future, such as sustainable development and the environment; the welfare state; social and mental values in a materialistic and individualistic world; and the role of nationalism under globalization. The IFS staged a seminar this year with the Environment Ministry and US Millennium Institute, and next year will organise a Nordic future studies conference which will double as a regional meeting within the World Future Studies Federation. PAGE57 STANDARDS Engineer Dr. Hafsteinn Pálsson sum- marises the new editions of standards forbuilding which will soon be issued in Iceland. New, revised Icelandic standards (ÍST) are pending for ten- ders and contracts, area and space, and construction phases. Standards for noise levels in residential accommo- dation, which will be harmonised with those in other Nordic countries, have been referred to the Nordic INSTAB and are expected to take effect in 1997. Iceland is now obliged by its mem- bership of CEN to adopt all the stand- ards issued by that body, and the Building Standards Council urges the compilation of a National Application Document. PAGE61 NATIONAL PLANNING PlannerTrausti Valsson looks back on his 22 years of campaigning for Na- tional Planning and several books on various aspects of the subject, initially prompted by the Westman Islands eruption and the oil crisis. Moving into regional development policy, he be- gan actively advocating the building of a road across the uninhabited Cen- tral Highlands which is still central to much of his proposals. From a histori- cal perspective, Iceland’s economy is swinging away from coastal fisheries- S H S U based settlements once again and seeking out inland tourist and energy resource sites. Valsson identifies five economic options for Iceland in the future, based on fisheries, know-how, energy development, nature conser- vation and tourism. Some of these op- tions clash but others reinforce each other, and the most favourable course seems to be a mix of them all with the aim of increasing diversity and creat- ing more expertise-related jobs. PAGE 68 WHAT IS ICELANDIC WOOD WORTH? Ólafur Oddsson, PR manager at the State Forestry Service, shows how the use of wood in Iceland has tradition- ally been related to subsistence but now offers opportunities for adding value in the wake of successful affor- estation projects. Small-scale handi- crafts have been the main outlet so far, but much domestic wood is thrown away while imported timber enjoys a peculiar respect. The State Forestry Service has begun collection of scrap wood for recycling and reuse. PAGE 70 ERGONOMICS - “EASE THEIR BURDENS” Physiotherapist Þórunn Sveinbjörns- dóttir looks at the question of strain and the back complaints which in a 1986 survey were reported by 65% of all Icelanders, including 17% who lost time from work as a result. She exam- ines regulations for design considera- tions such as adequate space and level floors where goods are lifted, and shows how the shape of loads and their packaging alters their effective weight when they are lifted. PAGE 72 GLASS CUTTING AND MIRRORS Stefán Jónsson traces the history of glass and mirror cutting in Iceland and looks at the range of properties and design features now available to buy- ers, including safety glass and sand- blast patterning. M M A R Y PAGE 74 FAROESE CHURCHES Review of a Faroese book by archi- tect J. P. Gregoriussen on that coun- try’s distinctive timber churches, the first in a series of four on the history of Faroese ecclesiastical architecture until 1950. PAGE82 CHURCHYARDS Landscape architect Guððmundur Sigurðsson looks at the problems fac- ing maintenance of churchyards and cemeteries in Iceland, given the fact that 42% of the 286 parishes have less than 100 inhabitants. Iceland now has 300 cemeteries, but in the tenth cen- tury there may have been up to ten times as many burial places, based on estimates of the number of places of worship. Besides financial and admin- istrative considerations, points to be borne in mind today include taking care to ensure that landscaping im- provements do not destroy the inter- action and harmony between old churches and their surroundings. PAGE86 COPENHAGEN Architect Ásdís Ingþórsdóttir summa- rises the main points of her final project as a student at Edinburgh Art Academy, under which she stayed in Copenhagen as an Erasmus student and produced planning proposals to redress the decline of the city centre following the suburbanisation process of the “Fingerprint Plan” of 1948. She suggests building two ring roads to delimit the old centre which dates from 1600-1750, and removing the present highway which now runs right through the city centre. TrafFic in the centre would be restricted to private cars, public transport, canal ferries and bicycles. Focusing in particular on the Holmen area of Amager, she advo- cates reactivating the role of water, with buildings arranged in a circle overlooking around waterfront in the “invisible centre of Copenhagen.” “Why do people necessarily have to live on streets?” she asks. ■ 79

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AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag

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