Vogabyggð
Vogabyggð is Iceland's next generation of sustainable urban development – a new community by the sea that transforms a former industrial peninsula into a vibrant, human-scale neighbourhood. As the first large-scale realisation of Reykjavík's municipal development plan 2010–2030, the masterplan reconnects the city to its waterfront through a network of streets, squares, and boardwalks. The adjacent nature reserve and sea inlet are embraced rather than ignored, weaving ecology into the fabric of everyday urban life. Liveability, green mobility, and high-quality public space are the guiding principles – making Vogabyggð a place where community identity can take root and grow.
Location
Reykjavík (Iceland)
Type
Urban design
Site
200.000 m² (Masterplan)
Program
1.800 dwellings and 50.000m² GFA/NFA (offices, leisure, retail, preliminary school, kindergarten, neighborhood centre)
Client
Municipality of Reykjavík, Hömlur, Festir
Design Partners
Felixx Landscape Architects, Teiknistofan Tröð,
Collaborators
VSO consulting
Status
Under construction (2014 - Ongoing)
The masterplan replaces a harsh industrial context with a clear, diverse urban structure: well-proportioned streetscapes, active plinths, and a new public waterfront that invites people of all kinds. Smooth multimodal connections and ecological water management are integrated from the ground up, while the design responds to the diverse wishes of the many stakeholders involved in shaping this new part of the city.
Where the public space of the area has been functionally designed, it represents a shift from the way urban public space is often treated in Reykjavik. Streets with sidewalks and trees, underground waste containers, ground floors with public programs and street furniture to enjoy the landscape altogether give the neighborhood a pleasant domestic vibe.
