Akureyri Hotels

Akureyri, in northern Iceland, has recently witnessed a decline in the propsperity of its town centre. Simultaneously, placeless out-of-town developments have become predominant. Historically the town was informed culturally, economically and spatially by its relationship to the surrounding environment; over time these connections between the town, its people and its setting have been eroded.

Reconnecting the town with its spectacular location at the base of Eyjafjordur, the longest fjord in Iceland, while releasing suitably scaled land parcels for development is key to its regeneration. A series of landscape initiatives are proposed: the creation of three linear parks which radiate from the town centre to the outlying districts; the realignment of the waterfront to form a new inlet connecting the main shopping street to the harbour, and the installation of programmable lighting systems to compensate for the lack of winter daylight.