Icelandic Institute of Natural History by ARKIS

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The Icelandic Institute of Natural History, designed by Icelandic firm Arkis, Is a glowing cube of facilities devoted to research that resembles a glacier illuminated by sunlight. The new institute is coated porous glass that makes it appear that the surface was permanently frozen. The program seeks to house the offices of 50 scientists, a library and a collection of samples. All part of a much larger master plan for the development of Urridaholt, and that’s sweeping the awards for architecture and sustainability.

Public Building, : Icelandic Institute of Natural History by ARKIS3

Public Building, : Icelandic Institute of Natural History by ARKIS1

The volume of the institute is based on the body of insects, as well as nearby Mount Keilir, reflected prominently in the front of the building. Two cracks separating the body of the building into three masses, helping to reduce the volume of the total, bringing it closer to the human scale of the urban landscape. The cracks in turn contain glass-walled corridors, highlighted bright green walls that break in the office environment for employees while they travel from one building to another. These breaks are able to generate a closer relationship with the surrounding environment, to provide images that impact the earth and sky.

The upper floors are enclosed by a double glass façade that helps with the operating system of the building, natural ventilation, natural lighting, and climate protection. The glass is porous and a model specially designed for the building that resembles the formation of ice crystals. These formations in the crystal generate a diffused light to enter the building, reduce reflection and glare and heat gain. Iceland is in a high latitude, so that the glass is designed to take advantage of this type of solar angles. Exposed concrete structures and the crystal, in contrast dialogue.

The Institute’s responsibilities include research and monitoring of nature, and its new building makes a real effort on the sustainability and ecological management of the surrounding area. The rear of the building has a green roof with local grass and moss, this area works to infiltrate rainwater and permeable parking areas and sidewalks are also slow the flow. The habitat of insects and local birds very minimally reduced due to these operations.

The double glass facade is part of the natural ventilation plan of the building and each office has at least two windows that open to promote air flow. The natural daylight and access to views of the surrounding countryside are also important building strategies. The research institute was completed in October 2010 as part of Urridaholt master plan, which has already won awards including the Prize of the Boston Society of Architects Award and Nordegio. The institute is currently part Urridaholt master plan, which has already won awards including the Prize of the Boston Society of Architects Award and Nordegrio. The institute is currently in post-construction assessment BREEAMWho expect to complete the spring of 2011.