Iceland review - 2016, Page 97

94 ICELAND REVIEW ICELAND REVIEW 95
CONVENTIONS
HOST YOUR EVENT AT HARPA
Diverse events of all sizes are accommodated by Harpa Conference Centre.
Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre has impressed
guests since the Ólafur Elíasson-designed building opened
its doors in 2011. The striking structure, with a glass-paneled
exterior that beams different colors when it’s dark out, is an
architectural gem in Reykjavík. Situated close to the pictur-
esque harbor, the building offers jaw-dropping views of the
mountainous landscape and the North Atlantic Ocean. Harpa
was honored with the 2013 European Union Prize for Contem-
porary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award.
Conveniently located close to restaurants, hotels, shops,
museums and galleries, Harpa is at the center of it all. The
conference center is known for hosting a variety of events
ranging from large business conferences to food markets and
rock concerts. “The number of events Harpa has hosted has
increased dramatically over the years,” said Karitas Kjartans-
dóttir, Harpa’s director of music and conferences. “We have
a dedicated staff that works hard to plan annual events with
returning clients, as well as to accommodate first-time events
with us.”
REMARKABLE FACILITIES
Harpa has, by far, the largest conference space in Reykjavík,
with 6,600 m² of space with the largest hall equipped to host
1,800 people. A second conference hall can hold 900 peo-
ple, and various halls can be split or combined in numerous
ways to accommodate up to 3,200 guests. Meeting rooms
are available for smaller gatherings and catering services can
accommodate everything from beverage service to exquisite
meals for events of all sizes. Furthermore, Harpa has a large
foyer that overlooks the harbor and city center which is ideal
for hosting exhibitions and trade shows.
DIVERSE EVENTS
Harpa is highly in demand as a venue for a wide variety of
events. Among the major events and exhibitions that have tak-
en place in Harpa are the Arctic Circle Assembly, EVE Fanfest,
Reykjavík Open Chess tournament, UTmessan (a large IT con-
ference), DesignTalks, as well as gourmet food markets. “We
have come a long way since Harpa first opened,” says Karitas.
“The staff is so proud to host so many different types of events
and while we are busier than ever, we never falter on quality. It’s
extremely important to everyone at Harpa to stay focused on
each individual event and deliver excellent customer service.”
IMPRESSIVE ACCOLADES
Harpa has received numerous awards and prizes for outstand-
ing facilities. Indeed, Harpa was chosen the best performance
venue in 2011 by Travel + Leisure magazine and in autumn
2012 it received the award for the Best MICE (Meetings, Incen-
tives, Conferences and Exhibitions/Events) Center in Northern
Europe from the MICE Report. “Our team is highly experi-
enced and offers personal and world-class customer service to
guarantee a successful event,” Karitas adds.
harpa.is
SPECIAL PROMOTION
Karitas Kjartansdóttir,
Harpa’s director of music and conferences.