Ísfugl
Completion: March, 2021
Site: Hrisey, Iceland
Context: TU Delft, The Netherlands. Group Academic Project, MSc1 Elective Aesthetics of Sustainable Architecture published within the Architecture and Public Building Chair
Collaborators: S. Lageveen, J. Oetelmans, M. van de Weerd
Supervisors: S. Lee
Tools: AutoCad, Rhino, Revit, Grasshopper, Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign
This singular dwelling is designed for an isolated place on the Island Hrísey, also known as The Pearl of Eyjafjörður, located in a fjord in the North of Iceland. The house rests on a privately owned nature reserve and bird sanctuary. One could question why someone would even live in such an isolated place. The population of Iceland is growing, coupled with a growing pressure on the urban capital region of Reykjavìk. The rural areas of Iceland are still largely uninhabited and the abundant space invites one to live in harmony with nature. Moreover, the pristine environment of Hrísey attracts people from all over the world. Hence, Hrísey has a growing young and artistic community and an increasing flow of trekker tourists every summer.
The energy in Iceland is cheap, abundant and largely from geothermal and hydro-sources, which are renewable. Accordingly, Icelanders generally lack sensibility towards energy saving. Taking Iceland’s fast growing population and the pressure on earth’s scarce resources into account, this project aims to change this perception with the design of a sustainable housing prototype. The young and artistic community of Hrísey has shown to be concerned with contributing to a sustainable environment for them and their future generations. Hence, they could serve as pioneers in living in sustainable dwellings. This architectural prototype is a learning tool to explore possibilities for sustainable design in the rough Icelandic climate, with the intent to apply the principles learned from this to a larger context of rural areas in Iceland to attract people to live outside the urban capital region. Sustainability is defined through longevity and environmental impact, considering the effect of form, building systems and material selection on adaptability, recyclability and resource consumption. The result is a sustainable house that is durable, dynamic and adaptabile in its seasonal and daily uses. Following the research by social anthropologist Marie Antoinette Glaser, long term use is an essential aspect of creating a sustainable environment. Therefore, the house is designed to put in place for more than fifty years, to provide long-term value to its environment and different residents.
The energy in Iceland is cheap, abundant and largely from geothermal and hydro-sources, which are renewable. Accordingly, Icelanders generally lack sensibility towards energy saving. Taking Iceland’s fast growing population and the pressure on earth’s scarce resources into account, this project aims to change this perception with the design of a sustainable housing prototype. The young and artistic community of Hrísey has shown to be concerned with contributing to a sustainable environment for them and their future generations. Hence, they could serve as pioneers in living in sustainable dwellings. This architectural prototype is a learning tool to explore possibilities for sustainable design in the rough Icelandic climate, with the intent to apply the principles learned from this to a larger context of rural areas in Iceland to attract people to live outside the urban capital region. Sustainability is defined through longevity and environmental impact, considering the effect of form, building systems and material selection on adaptability, recyclability and resource consumption. The result is a sustainable house that is durable, dynamic and adaptabile in its seasonal and daily uses. Following the research by social anthropologist Marie Antoinette Glaser, long term use is an essential aspect of creating a sustainable environment. Therefore, the house is designed to put in place for more than fifty years, to provide long-term value to its environment and different residents.
This project aims to create a passive house design that is suitable for the local circumstances in Iceland, to positively influence the perception of Icelanders on sustainable living and energy consumption. Therefore, possibilities with form, light, space and materials are explored. Furthermore, self-sufficiency and independence are important for Icelanders. Hence, the use of local materials to prevent dependence on import and the fluctuating economy while limiting CO2 emissions. The final product is an architectural prototype based on 1) suitable passive design strategies in Iceland, following the location specific climate and resource conditions and 2) the needs for an attractive house in a rural area for current and future residents.
Sunny summer day front view.
Snowy winter night front view.
The island of Hrisey, off the north coast of Iceland.
The North of Hrisey Island is home to the Isfugul project.
The site of Ísfugl is just beneath the island crest running along the North-South axis on Hrisey, sheltering habitations from the prevailing eastern wind.
Location within one of Iceland northern fjord.
Ground floor plan.
Concept & use plan diagrams.
Environmental section diagram showing maximal use of the extreme climatic conditions according to local vernacular principles.
Solar study on September 21st.