Nordic House
Alvar Aalto's 1968 cultural centre in the Vatnsmyri marsh, with a sunken library and blue roof.
The Nordic House was built for the Nordic Council of Ministers and opened in 1968 as a meeting place for the cultures of the Nordic countries in Iceland. Alvar Aalto designed it late in his career, setting a low white volume on raised ground in the Vatnsmyri marsh beside the university, with a pond alongside. The upper section is clad in deep blue ceramic tile, its profile answering the outline of Mount Keilir on the horizon, and the interiors combine tile, timber and plaster in Aalto's usual manner.
At the centre of the plan is the library, sunk below the main floor and lit from above by a cone-shaped rooflight; it holds around thirty thousand volumes from across the Nordic region. Aalto also designed much of the furniture and fittings. The house runs exhibitions, concerts, readings, language teaching and conferences, keeps a children's programme in the Nordic languages, and offers a self-guided Alvar Aalto route through the building. A restaurant and the adjoining wetland walk are open to visitors.
Highlights
- One of Alvar Aalto's last completed buildings, opened in 1968
- Blue ceramic roof profile echoing the mountains to the south
- Sunken library lit by a cone-shaped rooflight
- Wood-lined auditorium used for concerts and conferences
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