Harpa

Conceived by the Danish architectural offices of Henning Larsen, the new concert hall located at the old harbor of the Icelandic capital is a symbol of hope, since it was successfully completed despite the financial crisis. With the Icelandic female name of Harpa, or Harp, the concert hall and conference center is home to the national symphony orchestra and the opera.

The spectacular entry façade, made of over one thousand polygonal glass units modeled after the island’s basalt pillars, was created in collaboration with Olafur Eliasson (*1967 in Copenhagen). The glass breaks up the light like a kaleidoscope, so that the broad waters of the harbor, the open sky, and the hilly environs are reflected in splendid colors. This publication presents the building from the initial design in 2005 to its completion in May 2011, and demonstrates how nature can be used as an exemplary source of inspiration to allow architecture to dematerialize.

Henning Larsen Architects and Batteriid Architects
in Collaboration with Olafur Eliasson
Harpa
C. 160 pp., c. 80 ills.,
24 x 27 cm, softcover
2012
ISBN 978-3-7757-3341-0
39.80 EUR / 53.90 CHF / 60.00 US$ / 35.00 £

For ordering please contact the Publisher:
Hatje Cantz Verlag - www.hatjecantz.de