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Harpa
The Harpa building is a concert hall and conference centre situated on the seafront in Reykjavik, Iceland. The structure was designed collaboratively by Danish artist, Olafur Eliasson and architect firms Henning Larsen and Battteriio.
During the planning stages designers took trips to the Icelandic mountains, immersing themselves in the natural world for inspiration. Eliasson, who is of Icelandic decent, had already completed many projects in Iceland which had strong connections to the land.
Building work began early in 2007. After many setbacks (funding, weather conditions and sub-standard building materials) Harpa was finally opened to the public in May 2011.
The central section of the building is made from huge blocks of grey basalt rock - a massive structure which is encased in an even bigger glass and steel façade. The outer case is made up of almost 1000 'quasi-bricks' (glass prisms) that capture and reflect light.
The exterior is truly magnificent - a futuristic, black-tipped iceberg seemingly floating in Reykjavik harbour.
Inside, the building is phenomenal. I instantly felt at home - masses of well designed space which constantly shift, due to the glass reflections, as you navigate through. Minimal design, limited use of colour, including; yellow, blue and green all bring a calmness that makes you want to relax and soak up this inspiring environment.
Harpa is, hands down, the best public space I have ever visited. Come the apocalypse this is where I'm headed.
Go see.
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