AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.12.1996, Qupperneq 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. ■
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