EURA 2023
Mobile Workshops
Mobile Workshops
For practical reasons all participants need to register for mobile workshops. Registration will open on June 6 and closes June 20.
All participants meet in front of the University Square building no later than 14:00. View here or map to the right. Please note the following;
- All tours will start no later than 14:15
- All tours will return to the University Square building around 17:15
- All tours are guided and have minimum and maximum number of participants
- The boat tour to Viðey is dependent on weather
- All transfer times are dependent on traffic
- All tours are reserved for conference participants only
- All tours are booked on first come first served basis
- Registration closes June 20 @ 12:00
Departures
All departures* for mobile workshops are from the University Square building. Meet no later than 14:00 on Thursday 22 June.
*Music Walk will depart from Harpa @ 14:00
1.
Viðey Island: “A Central park in the sea”
Description
Viðey island is a unique natural pearl in the urban landscape. It is a place of historical and cultural importance, with views to all directions, complex natural habitat, and rich connection with the sea. The island has been a popular destination for residents and tourists alike and serves as a centre for cultural activities, nature experience and outdoor life.
We walk from the university to the Reykjavík downtown harbour. There a boat takes us to the island; on the way we get an introduction to the history of urban development along Reykjavík’s northern seafront. We will also talk about the city’s complex relationship with the sea, ranging from fisheries to recreation. We will take a short walk around the island, hear stories of its rich history reaching back to the times of the first settlers more than 1000 years ago and get some insight into future plans for the island and the city.
This trip includes a boat trip and a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 15
MAX number of participants: 30
2.
Brownfields to film reels: “The challenges of developing a new creative neighbourhood in Gufunes”
Description
Gufunes (Steam Peninsula) lies at the outskirt of the city of Reykjavík and was originally a site for a fertilizer factory and the cities main scrap heap with an open landfill. Some of the original buildings in the area are being used as film studies or for various use of companies in the film and creative industry. The site is one of the most challenging development areas in the city where the goal is to create a mix of residence and creative film industries in interaction with nature and historical structures. The area has a strong connection to the sea, framed by the coastline on three sides. Here you will find beaches, white sands and rocks, as well as the old pier with its panoramic view of the mountains. We will stroll around the area and learn about its history and future plans, considering myriad challenges and opportunities that come with transforming a former industrial site into a viable, creative neighbourhood. We will have the unique opportunity to meet the people working on the future vision of the site as well as developers and creative actors that are all playing a part in bringing it to life.
This trip includes a bus transfer and a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 10
MAX number of participants: 22
3.
The Valley River: “A story of power generation, urban greening and wild salmon”
Description
The walk will circle through the lower east-west section of the Elliðaár valley (see route map), meander through woodland and along the riverbanks, past an old dam and empty reservoir, as far afield as time (and weather) will allow for. The group will be joined by experts who introduce the 20th century power generation for Reykjavík, 21st century wastewater works and both structures in use and the structures that have been repurposed for historical and cultural purposes. The whole valley is popular with residents for outdoor and recreational activities: outdoor gamers, equestrians, cyclists, hikers, runners and dog walkers. We will learn about the life of the valley, rebuilding, greening, re-wilding, hazardous pollutants, and a long history of fishing of wild salmon and trout. Beverages will be served at a rest stop before the group heads towards the bus station back to City Centre.
This trip includes a bus public transportation and a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 10
MAX number of participants: 22
4.
Urban gardening in the north: "Green Green Grass of Home"
Description
This walking tour will provide an overview of the history of urban gardening in Reykjavík. A visit to the Ræktunarstöð in Fossvogsdalur, a plant nursery run by the city, and a visit to a vegetable plot, leased and maintained by residents. The nursery in Fossvogsdalur only produces plants for the city, trees, shrub and all the ornamental plants for flower beds and pots.
The goal is to produce plants that are suitable for the climate in Reykjavík. Conditions for vegetation are often harder in exposed green areas and in streets, than in sheltered gardens. Knowledge about the surviving species is growing all the time and there is ongoing communication between the gardeners of the nursery and the gardeners who maintain vegetation on city-owned land.
Near the nursery we will visit one of the residential vegetable plots. The area used to be for children to learn how to grow eatables, but the programme was cut in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis. Following the crisis, the idea of improving one’s household finances by growing eatables became popular and the motivation to lease a plot grew, even though many people did not know how to grow vegetables. Thus, urban farming, which had all but disappeared due to the availability of fresh vegetables in grocery stores, became popular again.
This trip includes a bus public transportation and a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 12
MAX number of participants: 22
5.
Laugardalur Valley: “From hot spring valley to major centre for sports, culture and recreation”
Description
Laugardalur Valley has been an influential factor in the development, organisation and culture of the city. Before hot spring water was harvested for general heating, the laundry pools in Laugardalur, played an important beneficial role for all households of Reykjavík. The roots of Reykjavík Geothermal Energy Company (Hitaveita Reykjavíkur) lie in the existence of these pools and the oldest pumping station still stands on the grounds. The pools were a forerunner to the massive heating system projects, undertaken at the beginning of the 1950s. First swimming lessons began in the pools in Laugardalur around 1824, and plans for the sports and outdoor recreational area in Laugardalur where already made in the late 19th century. The developments in Laugardalur are intertwined with the sporting history of Reykjavík and the country.
This trip includes a bus public transportation and a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 12
MAX number of participants: 22
6.
Appointment with local conditions: “Brownfield redevelopment / BRT-lines / Salvation Army headquarters”
Description
Vogabyggð waterfront transformation from industrial site to a resilient neighbourhood, is the first large development area that the City of Reykjavík launched under the auspices of urban densification in accordance with the 2014 “Reykjavík Central Plan 2040”. The development of apartments and street reconstruction in the area is now nearing completion. The site is around 200.000m2 with 18.000 dwellings and 50.000m2 mixed-use offices, leisure, retail, preliminary school, kindergarten and neighbourhood centre. Here you can also find beaches, mudflats and low cliffs, as well as a dock for sport boats, mixed with the panoramic view. A river estuary flows by which means that wild salmon and trout migrate through the mudflats up Elliðaá river in spring and summer.
Starting with a bus ride from The University. The walk starts at the westernmost part of the new Ártún neighbourhood area (area 2), then a walk crossing the pedestrian bridges through Geirsnef peninsula and Vogabyggð, ending at the Salvation Army new headquarters.
This trip includes a bus transfer and a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 12
MAX number of participants: 22
7.
The Pearl necklace in Öskjuhlíð green area
Description
Þráinn Hauksson, a renowned landscape architect and project manager at Landslag will guide this trip. The group will meet by the Pearl (Perlan) one of the best-known landmarks of the city. The Pearl is a glass building with 360° view of the capital area built on top of thermal heating water tanks. It is surrounded by the charming woodland of Öskjuhlíð hillock.
We will walk around Öskjuhlíð and look at the construction of the “Pearl Necklace”, a winning proposal for a hiking trail which is currently under construction. Þráinn who is the author of the winning proposal will guide us around the construction site in Öskjuhlíð. The winning design incorporates accessibility for everyone (including wheelchair access) and shows great sensitivity to both preservation of historical monuments as well as preserving and expanding vegetation and nature experiences in this green area.
The area is popular for recreational activities, including running, hiking, dog-walking and cycling. This tour combines understanding of landscape architecture. Although only few steps away from one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city, the area of Öskjuhlíð is a hidden gem.
This trip includes a bus public transportation and a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 12
MAX number of participants: 22
8.
Urbanism in your heart: "Challenges in infrastructure development"
Description
A guided walking tour around the area of the National University Hospital of Iceland which is the largest and at the same time the most complex construction and development site within the city centre. A new high-tech hospital is being built within already established structures within the vicinity of the city’s natural habitats of Vatnsmýri Nature Reserve and Öskjuhlíð hillock. The volume of this construction, including a state-of-the-art Laboratory Centre and Faculty of Medicine, is around 150.000m2 within a 15-hectare area. The older hospital facilities on the premises were built between the 1930s and 60s and they will mostly be reassigned to new roles after thorough renovations and refurbishments.
The area has now gained pivotal importance as a vibrant urban development site within the city centre and will be linked with the growing Hlíðarendi residential neighbourhood. The plan is to connect the areas with a covered deck on top of Miklubaut (Via Maximus) main road—a cut-and-cover tunnel that will greatly improve public transport and BRT line connections coming through this part of the city and connecting it with the greater Capital Region.
This trip is a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 10
MAX number of participants: 25
9.
Science Park : “Networking Point for Innovation”
Description
The UI Science Park was established by the University of Iceland in 2004. The Park is a partnership between the University (94,6%) and the City of Reykjavík (5,4%). The objective of the partnership is to strengthen research and development in the field of science and innovation, by offering facilities on the University’s campus intended for collaborative actions, networking, outreach and engagement activities.
The UI Science Park’s goal is to facilitate an open environment for companies and institutions, where the synergistic effects arising in creative interactions between research institutions and the business sector can prosper. The Park supports innovation and entrepreneurial operations, it builds bridges between academe and the business sector and, thereby, is supporting value creation for societal development.
We will walk from the meeting point through the UI Science Park. Visitors will learn about the organisation and development of the area, and we get 1-2 presentations by partners to this establishment. At the end of the tour participants can stay behind and enjoy a drink in the food and drinking hall within the complex.
This trip is a short walking tour
MIN number of participants: 12
MAX number of participants: 25
10.
The Neighbourhood Plan: “The challenges of diversity in urban planning”
Description
Visit to the district Breiðholt, originally a building development project and the housing complex in Breiðholt in its current form can be traced back to the so-called June agreement in 1964, between the labour movement and employers. There was a housing shortage in Reykjavík and the rental market was particularly difficult. With the development of Breiðholt, it was possible to eradicate slums in Reykjavík and secure safe housing for low-income residents. Buildings cropped up at a new and unprecedented speed in the 1970s and 80s, and Breiðholt soon grew to become the largest district in the Reykjavík municipality. It developed into mixed residence of apartment buildings, terraced, and detached single-family houses. The city of Reykjavík has put a lot of effort in recent years in making Breiðholt a good quality neighbourhood with focus on prevention, social inclusion, and good quality services, after decades of associating the name Breiðholt with social problems.
One of the main topics in this workshop will be The Neighbourhood Plan, which is a new plan intended to make the city’s neighbourhoods more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The Municipal Plan for Reykjavík 2040 presents the framework for the neighbourhood plan and six sectors in Árbær and Breiðholt have already been placed thereunder.
This trip includes a bus transfer and a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 12
MAX number of participants: 22
11.
Reykjavik Music Walk “Culture as foundation”
Description
Reykjavík is a relatively small city, and its size naturally shapes its music culture. Everything is in close proximity: venues, institutions and practice spaces, especially if we focus on the city centre or the so-called 101 area. The shortage of clubs and venues for life music has a hidden, positive dynamic, as this has fortified the city’s music scene at each given time and often led different musicians together, something that is near impossible in big cities of millions. The 101 area has been the centre of Icelandic music activities for a long time, giving way to music festivals, concerts and general “hang-outs” for musicians in form of bars and cafés. Thus, the Reykjavík Music Walk Tour focuses on Iceland’s pop and rock history and the landmark sites that have contributed to its remarkable success abroad and domestically. This includes the downtown practice spaces of Björk and The Sugarcubes, and concert halls used by early career Sigur Rós, and other historically important live venues and artist hangouts. The walk is guided by Arnar Eggert, Iceland’s foremost popular music historian and journalist. Arnar can answer any questions that people might have about the fertile Icelandic music scene.
This trip will depart from Harpa @ 14:00
This trip is a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 12
MAX number of participants: 20
12.
Redevelopment of Reykjavík´s historic city centre: "From past to present"
Description
A walking tour through the biggest transformation area of the city, right in the historical centre of Reykjavík.
The harbour and coastline are the spots where Reykjavík initially became a township and, in recent years, the area has grown into a modern urban centre. These latest developments are adding a new layer to the history of Reykjavík, especially its relation to the oceanfront.
The walk will take you from the old harbour to Harpa music hall. Passing through Tryggvagata, Hafnartorg and Austurhöfn, with a stop at the municipal library in Grófarhús which will be renovated in the coming years.
We will walk through the points of friction where recent history meets the past, walking through and discussing different scales of development over time and the reasons behind design decisions such as construction and big ideas leading up to the 2008 bank crisis and what we have learning in the aftermath. Technical solutions and other factors have influenced both design and non-design that we find within the area, looking into the past and looking into the future. Finally, we will discover how one little hot dog stand can sometimes be the most influential actor.
This trip is a walking tour
MIN number of participants: 12
MAX number of participants: 25