Imagine taking a stroll on a snowy Icelandic path with a freshly brewed macchiato – do you hear a beautiful harmony? No, it’s not Arijit Singh singing Gerua while Shahrukh romances Kajol at Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon.
Nestled between the Reykjavik City Centre and the Atlantic Ocean, the Harpa Concert Hall is Iceland’s answer to Sydney’s Opera House. Amidst the snow-capped mountains and the unspoiled scenery is the recently installed ‘Himinglæva’ – Wind Harp, a stainless-steel sculpture outside the Harpa Concert Hall and Convention Centre in Reykjavik, Iceland. Elín Hansdóttir created this impressive installation to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Harpa Concert Hall. This great Aeolian Harp is designed to create sonic vibrations as the wind travels through it to heighten the senses of the visitors.
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The Harpa Concert Hall is a cultural landmark in the land of ice and fire with its awe-inspiring architecture. If George RR Martin saw this structure, we’d bet that Khaleesi’s Iron Throne would rest in Iceland and the show would have a better ending. (nevermind!)
The convention centre also hosted the Icelandic Innovation Week 2022 – Ok, Bye Climate Summit from 16th – 20th May 2022 which focused on the issues related to climate change. Evidently, Harpa is not only an architectural marvel but also an epicentre of change and progression.
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In this blog, let’s bask in the glory of the structure, design, and history of Harpa Concert Hall and Convention Centre.
Table of contents
Harpa – The Icelandic Meaning
Harpa, the name was given by the citizens of Iceland. The epithet won amongst 4,156 proposed names given by 1,200 citizens. The criteria were to find an Icelandic name that could be enunciated easily in all languages. No wonder, Iceland is declared one of the happiest and most free countries in the world. They truly believe in being a close-knit community.
Harpa even denotes an Icelandic name for the harp, a melodious stringed instrument that rings true to its architectural structure.
Harpa Was Not Built in a Day
To celebrate the rich culture and art of Iceland, there were talks to build a concert hall in Reykjavik since the 1880s. However, it was in 1983 that the Association for Music Halls was established. The capital city during the 20th century had a diminutive pavilion for a concert hall – Hljómskálinn that housed the city’s brass band.
In 1999, the Mayor of Reykjavik and the government decided to build a concert and conference hall for the citizens. Sadly, the plan did not move further and was on hold until 2006. That year, the authorities signed an agreement and the construction of the concert hall by the harbour began in January 2007.
60% of Iceland’s population lives in the capital city, Reykjavik. Hence, it was a desperate attempt to have a dedicated space for Icelandic art and culture. There are more sheep on this Nordic island than humans. There is a saying among the Kiwis that for every one person there are four sheep. Seems like that’s equivalent for the Icelanders as well.
2008 was the year when everything came crashing down like ‘Ok’ – the Icelandic glacier that vanished with all the climatic pressures. Due to the financial crisis, the Harpa Concert Hall came to standstill with only 40% of construction complete.
Scepticism ensued as people wondered if there was a need for an extravagant concert hall during the financial doom. However, the Icelandic Government did not give up on this magnificent edifice. It was fully financed by the government despite being in a financial pickle. The Harpa Concert Hall and Convention Centre was completed and opened its doors to the public on 13th May 2011.
Or the Icelanders would have had to request Thor, the Nordic God to maybe ask Mr Tony Stark for a little funding.
Creating a Masterpiece
“The great problem of the concert hall is that the shoebox is the ideal shape for acoustics but that no architect worth their names wants to build a shoebox.” – Rem Koolhaas
That is exactly what artist Olafur Eliasson did not do with Harpa Concert Hall. The honeycomb-like exterior resembles Iceland’s natural basalt rocks that are easily visible around the island. The design was led by Henning Larsen Architects and Batteriid Architect in collaboration with Olafur Eliasson, known for his larger-than-life art installations using light, water and air temperatures.
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This tantalising structure is 43 metres tall with an interior spread across 28,000 square metres. The steel framework with translucent glass that resembles an artistic honeycomb – measures 12,000 square metres. Eliasson created this design in retrospect to the breath-taking Icelandic scenery. His main aim or concept behind this design was to look at the building as a static unit, to be able to absorb the changing colours of the natural surroundings. As the 714 geometric glass panels are reflected by the crystalline light, the structure and the natural landscape come together in harmony. At night the glass panels are illuminated by LED lights embedded in each quasi-brick. The intensity of the light is adjustable for these panels, bringing in a colour play to create patterns or symbols in the foyer.
The geometric glass panels reflect the different moods of the Icelandic climate, giving the visitors a view of a lifetime depending on the time of the day, weather or season. The play of light is almost like a tease into the moods and emotions of a person. The facade is aesthetically and functionally integral to Harpa’s design.
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Imagine the shades of green and blue of the Northern Lights or the golden light at 10 in the night as the Midnight Sun shines over the Harpa Concert Hall? How stunning of a view will that be? Welcome to nature’s discotheque!
Closer to Nature – The Four Elements at the Harpa Hall
The structure was built with the intent of a multi-purpose hall for a diverse range of events from music concerts, exhibitions, international gala performances, global conferences and more.
The Harpa Concert Hall features four concert halls that signify the elements of nature – fire, water, earth and air. The main hall, also the largest auditorium in the building with seating up to 1,800 guests is called ‘Eldborg’, named after a famous volcanic crater in Iceland. The name denotes Fire Mountain as the interior is surfaced with bright red varnish birch veneer, giving it a warm and cosy vibe. It is home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera.
Reminds us of Sense 8, where the surround sound at the Eldborg Hall was intensely scintillating that Riley could not hold her emotions as her father performed with an orchestra.
The design team collaborated with Artec Consultants Inc., a US consulting firm that handles the installation and working of the acoustics, sound isolation and design of the theatre.
The auditorium has adjustable sound chambers with a 30% increased spatial volume and reverberation time. Many famous artists have performed here including Cyndi Lauper who sang her iconic chartbuster – Time After Time in this hall.
The other three smaller concert halls – ‘Kaldalon’ is christened after a bay in North-Western Iceland that represents the water element. ‘Silfurberg’ is the name of a translucent calcite crystal that represents Earth, and ‘Norðuljós’ symbolises air. Norðuljós hall is designed with backlit walls to reflect the Northern Lights.
New Installations – Harpa Never Stops Getting Creative
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To celebrate Harpa’s 10th anniversary, a new design was launched – ‘Hljóðhimnar’ – an interactive space for children on the ground floor of the building. Harpa commissioned ÞYKJÓ – a team of four women with expertise in textile, design and architecture to design the space. They worked closely with at least 100 kids to create interactive playground spaces to stimulate their imagination. Hljóðhimnar translates to sound membranes in English. Rightfully so, this space kindles how sound wave travels into various parts of the ear. Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and Icelandic Opera recorded Icelandic lullabies and songs that will want the kids to snuggle up in Hljóðhimnar. The kids can also play in the mouseholes like the Icelandic musical mouse Maximus Musicus, who has a permanent spot at Harpa.
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Harpa Concert Hall has partnered with Artechouse to bring an innovative light installation – CIRCULEIGHT to Iceland. The design inspiration is the eight elements – water, lava, glacier, basalt, flora, algae, volcanic gas, and micro-organism. The installation offers a real-time interactive visual with a dynamic background score composed by Högni Egilsson.
The Route to Harpa Concert Hall
No language has enough adjectives to describe Iceland’s immense beauty. It can be overwhelming to absorb it all, especially when you come from a country with high carbon emissions. (Greta Thunberg sends her regards)
The Nordic island country is connected through one road aka the Ring Road. It is 1328 kilometres long (825 miles) that loops around the country’s highlands. To reach Harpa Concert Hall, Route 1 (Ring Road) leads you on the silver land connecting you to Reykjavik and other cities. To access Iceland’s tourist attractions and landmarks, the Ring Road acts as the connecting route.
On that Musical Note
Iceland is a pretty unusual country with extraordinary feathers to its legacy. The Nordic country is unusual because it held a funeral for a glacier renowed as ‘Ok’ with a memorial plaque in 2019. The Land of Ice and Fire is extraordinary as it strived to build an architectural marvel that would encourage future generations of artists. After exploring the fjords of Iceland and soaking in the musical notes at the Harpa Concert Hall and Convention Centre, anyone would want to migrate to live a peaceful life amongst the crystalline landscape. (definitely us!)
Harpa Concert Hall, since its inception, has attracted 11 million guests from across the globe with riveted travellers wanting to experience an untouched country. Even if you aren’t a music buff, Harpa is a must-visit solely to admire its architectural attire.
PS: We are so glad that 1,100 years ago, Vikings from Norway discovered Iceland by accident.
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