Iceland review - 2014, Qupperneq 45

ICELAND REVIEW 43
up, boldly illuminating the waterfront, proudly announcing to
the city: come listen! come see!
While this type of international headline-grabbing architec-
ture is most definitely the exception not the rule, in iceland
there’s still a keen sense of design in the quieter moments
around you. i noticed this before i even set foot in the country.
The airplane was decorated with quirky instructional texts,
teaching you about the icelandic language. And i was imme-
diately drawn to the typography of my icelandic water bottle.
Airlines in America don’t have this heightened sense of style or
attention to detail. And packaging for our own water brands?
pedestrian at best.
i noticed these sorts of details wandering around reykjavík
too. There was a lot of graffiti-style street art. Some of it was
advertising but some of it was just pure decoration. All of it: art.
part of the icelandic aesthetic, though, is to not over-design.
While driving around the country, i quickly discovered icelanders
are not keen on hitting you over the head with too much infor-
mation. in the States, i’m accustomed to all the “1 mile ahead”
and big bright “turn here” signs. So accustomed that i never even
realized how annoying they are. until, come iceland, there is a
distinct lack of this sort of distraction. it’s not that there’s a lack
of navigational assistance, it’s just that you’re more likely to find
only simple, small signs perched neatly at the point where you
should turn. it will be very close to the ground, making sure not
to detract from the surrounding landscape. Some signs are even
so minimal you might miss them at first. it appears as if it’s all
meant to minimize distractions and highlight the stunning views
around you.
or say you’re approaching a scenic overlook. in the States
we love to put up guardrails and guideposts—so much so that
it can ruin the feeling of beauty and isolation around you. And,
deSign
laugavegur, reykjavík’s main shopping street.