AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.06.2003, Page 77

The Architectural
Practice of
Guðmundur Jónsson
THE PRACTICE
The architectural practice of
Guðmundur Jónsson
(Gudmundur Jonsson
Arkitektkontor) was established
on the 7th of June after having
won the Scandinavian competi-
tion for the Music Hall in lceland.
The practice is now
located in the centre of Oslo,
Norway at Hegdehaugsveien 24.
The practice was started in Oslo
because in Norway, there were
larger and more complex proj-
ects. I was of course conscious
of the more intense competition
and more complicated adminis-
tration. I also knew that as a for-
eigner I was a long way from the
social „network." Despite this, I
decided on an office in Oslo. The
establishment and running of the
practice was not a goal in itself,
but rather the medium. The Oslo
location has in no way been a
hindrance as I have been in
lceland on average every seventh
week. Through time more
lcelanders, both as students and
architects, have been connected
with work at the practice and this
has given it something of an
lcelandic look, according to
Norwegians. Salaried staff has
included Ingunn Hafstað,
Guttormur Magnússon and
Þórður Bryngeirsson, who still
works at the practice.
COMPETITIONS
Taking part in competitions has
been an important part of the
„sport" of running the practice so
far. I have taken part in 47 com-
petitions and pre-selections and
received in total 41 prizes and
acknowledgements. It is, howev-
er, seldom that first prizes in
competitions are built.
GOALS
I have looked upon it as a goal to
seek as many varied projects as
possible to sharpen my ideas and
challenge my abilities. Each new
project, independent of size,
leads every time to both fear and
exciting joy, joy of tackling the
process like a chess player seek-
ing solutions and fear of not
succeeding. I consider no com-
mission too large or too small and
have
designed
everything
from large
and compre-
hensive plans
to small
objects,
including cuff
links.
TYPES OF
COMMIS-
SIONS
This attitude
has, more by
chance,
resulted in
varied work
for the prac-
tice and not
resulted in
noticeable
specialization
as often hap-
pens in large
practices abroad. By chance,
work to do with cultural tourism
and exhibitions has been com-
mon. The same applies to plan-
ning, office buildings and some
private houses, which could be
more numerous.
IDEOLOGY
The ideology is built on combin-
ing many threads into one
process. The threads are, for
example, the reading of environ-
ment and landscape, analysis
of the brief, and historic premises
through intuition. Historic and
intuitive premises have often been
important. To interpret a historic
lcelandic premise is very intuitive.
The methodology is based upon
the search for the basic nucleus
independent of architectonic, tra-
ditional, pictorial language, firm
style or the swings of fashion. I
have seen no reason to create or
follow certain styles and I think
that each location, landscape and
Islenska raðhúsið á NordForm 90 í Malmö /
loelandio terraced house at NordForm 90 in Malmö.