AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.09.2004, Page 66

first impression
The National Museum
Renovated
Sólver Hafsteinn Sólversson Guðbjargarson
By Hringbraut in Reykjavík there
stands the familiar north elevation
of the National Museum with the
rythmic beat of the funkis-style. The
squares and the curves of a cylin-
der are in its place but the heavy
staircase which led up to the former
entrance of the museum on the
second floor and was an obstacle
for many people has disappeared.
Along the newly created, rythmic
and platformed landscape with
straight and curved lines which
reflect well the original style of the
museum, low steps welcome the
visitor leading him diagonally past a
newly glazed refreshment area with
a folded copper roof and to a new
entrance on the south side. There
is a half-cylindrical addition to the
museum, the same width and finish
as the original building with a square
glazed lobby with a large flat cop-
per roof. At first the glass walls and
doors of the entrance form a whole
but the individual parts become
apparent as one gets nearer. From
the tight glazed entrance space one
enters the space of the half-cylinder,
a modest but respectful lobby with
a terrazzo floor, a curved reception
table along the eastern wall and a
familiar but new southern gable.
This gable has been altered by
forming square openings of varying
sizes in several places to facilitate
the flow of visitors. In the central
part is a tall opening that frames a
cylindrical staircase central to the
addition marking the entrance to the
main exhibition area on the second
floor and emphasises the recollec-
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