Architecture in the Capital │ The History of House Construction

Árbær Open Air Museum

In the years after 1840, Reykjavík began to grow as the nation’s capital, and the main institutions of the country were relocated there, including Alþingi and the Learned School. Urban planning for the town also began to take shape, and the Reykjavík Building Committee began its work. It was responsible for allocating plots and building permits, as well as ensuring that building regulations were followed.

In the years after 1840, Reykjavík began to grow as the nation’s capital, and the main institutions of the country were relocated there, including Alþingi and the Learned School.  

The exhibition is divided into three parts. The first section describes the uniquely Reykjavík construction style of the steinbær houses, which were built with long stone walls and timber gable ends. The second section discusses timber houses, with particular emphasis on the so‑called Swiss‑style houses, or the Norwegian catalog houses, which were imported to Iceland around the turn of the 20th century and left a strong mark on downtown Reykjavík. They were built during a period when mechanization in the timber industry had begun to take hold, and Icelandic craftsmen had acquired solid expertise in timber‑house construction.
The third section covers the concrete revolution. Here, attention is directed to Functionalist (Funkis) houses, with the workers’ dwellings on Hringbraut used as an example. When these were built, builders had achieved strong proficiency in the use of concrete and steel reinforcement. 

The exhibition is a collaborative project between the Construction Industry Education Association and the Reykjavík City Museum.
The Construction Industry Education Association serves as a cooperative forum for companies, master craftsmen, and employees in construction and civil engineering with a focus on education. One of the association’s main goals since its founding has been to promote the preservation of older and traditional working methods and craftsmanship.

This exhibition is one of the museum’s permanent exhibitions and serves as support material or supplementary content for the buildings within the museum grounds, as well as other protected buildings in Reykjavík.

Ar­chi­tec­ture in the Cap­ital │ The His­tory of House Con­struc­tion

The exhibition covers the history of house construction and building techniques in Reykjavík during the period 1840–1940.

Architecture in the Capital │ The History of House Construction