PK Arkitektar ehf.

Turninn

Turninn
© Rafael Pinho

TURNINN

PK Arkitektar

ARCHITECTS
PK Arkitektar

AREA
23000.0 sqm

PHOTOGRAPHS
Hedi Kairouannais, Rafael Pinho, Helge Garke

YEAR
2010

LOCATION
Reykjavik, Iceland

CATEGORY
Office Buildings, Commercial Architecture, Retail

Text description provided by architect.

Reykjavik’s skyline is dominated, not so much by the city’s low-level urban massing, but more by the backdrop of blue, white and grey mountains in the distance.

Therefore, any addition to the skyline must take its geographical and topographical context into consideration. The building in this case faces the bay of Reykjavík and the mountain Esja across.

Turninn
© Rafael Pinho
Turninn
© Rafael Pinho
Turninn
© Helge Garke

With buildings of this scale, it is easy to let their size appear out of context with the city. Here careful consideration is paid to the detail of the façade.

The building is wrapped in a unique skin of curtain wall. It is pockmarked with indentations made by the faceted vertical glazing. It appears as though randomly scattered across the surface of the building.

The use of components of 1.5m x 3,5m solid glass and openable-slot glazing panels, helps in bedding the building in both the geographical context but also assists in reducing the buildings overall scale.

Turninn
© Rafael Pinho
Turninn
© Rafael Pinho
Turninn
© Rafael Pinho

As well as taking advantage of passive ventilation, these unique open-able-slot panels, along with the concealed ceiling-mounted roller blinds, help to animate what would otherwise be flat imposing façades.

As if hewn from the surrounding mountains, the building can appear solid but equally it can appear invisible; reflecting the clouds, water and camouflaging it against the mountains in the distance.

It can appear light and transparent when lit up from the inside, allowing glimpses of the users of the building and to the city and mountains beyond.

Turninn
© Hedi Kairouannais


Turninn
© Helge Garke
Turninn
© Rafael Pinho


Turninn
Floor Plan
Turninn
Floor Plan

PK Arkitektar ehf.
T +354 551 8050
PK Arkitektar ehf.
Brautarholt 4 105 Reykjavík Iceland