Borgarfjordur College
The Borgarfjordur College was founded in 2005 and is located in Borgarnes, a small village some 75km north of Reykjavik, where it also serves as a cultural house for the local municipality. Located on a spectacular site the building establish conversations with its context, both near and far; beautiful landscape, particular rocks and vegetation and key location in the village.
The building is to reflect its environment, both social and physical. At the same time it gives its users the space for their imagination and perception of the environment, built and natural, through the building in which they are found.
The building is formed of rectangular blocks, containing the main functions of the school, classrooms, lecture hall and offices, on two floors. The blocks are carefully placed on the site, creating open spaces and corridors between them, focusing on its surroundings and, at the same time, defining the shape of the building. Large windows between the blocks are placed either at the outer face of the building or set deep back by the corridor. This allows for views different in depth and width, creating various relations with the building’s surroundings.
The materials used are to last and at the same time wear and tear, in natural beautiful way, through time and use. The building is clad in brass, a copper/zinc alloy, which weathers to golden brown colour, directly referring to the colour of the rocks around the site. Upper roofs are covered with large granulated gravel made from those same rocks, and the lower roofs are green roofs, covered with vegetation as is found around the building.
Inside the blocks, containing the main functions, floors are of solid wood and walls painted in off-white colour, creating warm atmosphere. Floors in the open areas and corridors are polished concrete and walls have either white tiles or made of exposed concrete, to support the heavy use in these areas.
The lecture hall seats 240 people and can be opened up, with folding walls, creating a large open multi-functional hall. The design of the folding walls is the work of an artist who collaborated with the architect’s team. The outer face of the walls is clad with multi-colour stripes, as a reaction to the white and grey colours in the open area around the lecture hall. At the same time, the walls are visible from the outside, placed in front of large windows, playing an important role in the visual aspect of the building, without being direct part of the elevation.
Total gross area:
3411 sqm.
Project:
2005-2007
Construction:
2007 - 2008
Completed:
November 2008
