Strenghtening
city area centres
An important part in the neighbourhood plan is to strengthen city area centres and boost commercial activities within walking distance for the residents.
The three areas in Breiðholt are well situated regarding access to a variety of shopping and services, e.g. due to their closeness to Mjódd. However there are significantly fewer neighbourhood services in the Seljahverfi area than in Upper- and Lower-Breiðholt.
In Mjódd there is a plan for further development regarding commercial buildings and new flats which will further facilitate retail and services. These extensive changes will not be addresse in the neighbourhood plan but rather in a detailed zoning plan for development areas in Mjódd.
Breiðholt is well positioned with access to shopping and services but the Seljahverfi area has less neighbourhood services than Upper- and Lower-Breiðholt
The area centres have typically been the venue for ideas and comments from the residents during the consultation periods of the neighbourhood plan. Wishes have emerged concerning a variety of shops and services which people want to have a comfortable walking distance.
Similarly there is a widespread call for renovation of housing and the surroundings of some of the centres that have seen better days.
Arnarbakki
The present situation at Arnarbakki where there are ideas for strengthening the area centre.
Picture: Bragi Þór Jósefsson
Lower-Breiðholt
Neighbourhood services in Lower-Breiðholt are available in the centre at Arnarbakki. During the presentation of the working proposals for the neighbourhood plan during the summer of 2020, ideas were presented for strengthening the centre by removing the old buildings and construct new buildings with shopping facilities and services in parts of the ground floor and with student apartments on the upper floors. The whole surroundings of the centre is to be improved and a neighbourhood plaza is to be constructed which will be connected with the urban city street of the area. The new buildings in the centre will have a total area of 12,000 m².
The new buildings at Arnarbakki and an improved environment and area square will strengthen the area centre
Arnarbakki – proposals for changes 2020 and 2021
On the left are ideas from August 2020 about building projects on and around the area centre at Arnarbakki.
On the right are new proposals for the planning of the area that take into consideration comments made during the neighbourhood plan presentation in the summer of 2020.
Illustrations: Basalt architects.
New buildings adapted to the populated area
During the presentation period in the summer of 2020 a number of comments and observations were received concerning the Arnarbakki proposals, which for the most part were connected with the height of the intended houses and style of roof and intentions regarding the construction of a multiple-use building in Bakkatún. Account has been taken of these comments and observations in the updated proposal.
The construction of a multiple-use building at Bakkatún, and ideas for community vegetable gardens north of the centre have been discarded.
In addition, the height of the buildings and the form of roof has been further adapted to the pre-existing residential buildings.
Arnarbakki –new design for the new buildings
View towards the new area centre houses to the left.
Area for outdoor activities and walking paths through the so-called Bakkatún meadows east of the area centre.
Illustrations: Basalt architects.
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Area centre at Arnarbakki−presentation from a planning consultant
Anna Björg Sigurðardóttir, Architect FAÍ Basalt Architects.
Seljahverfi
The density of the settled area in Seljahverfi is significantly lower than in other areas of Breiðholt and shopping and services are not in a convenient walking distance for a large proportion of the residents. There are two grocery stores in the eastern part of the area but there is no proper area centre in Seljahverfi.
There is therefore an emphasis on developing a strong area centre at Rangársel and Hólmasel. Ideas for development alongside Rangársel and Hólmasel – with an emphasis on retail and services on the ground floors, flats on the upper floors and a good connection with the surrounding open areas – were presented in working proposals for the neighbourhood plan in the summer of 2020.
There is an emphasis on developing an area centre in Seljahverfi at Rangársel and Hólmasel
Seljahverfi
The present situation at Rangársel and Hólmasel.
A decision has been made that this area will become a special development area in order to create an area centre for Seljahverfi.
Picture: City of Reykjavík.
Rangársel – Hólmasel becomes a development area
Several comments and observations were received during the period of presentation in the summer of 2020 regarding plans for the development of an area centre at Rangársel. These were i.a. related to concerns that traffic in the area would increase, and that open areas would be encroached upon and that the businesses would not thrive. Furthermore, some felt that more detailed consultation needed to be had with the residents regarding changes made in the area.
All comments and observations that were received were sent to the zoning-consultants for material review. Following this a decision has been made to make the area in question a special development zone. This means that for the present time there will be no permits issued in the neighbourhood plan for the development of the area, but it is assumed that proposals will be developed in a special detailed zoning plan over the next half year. By doing so, more time will be provided in order to develop the ideas in consultation with stakeholders and residents and in concert with the emphasis points of the Master plan for Reykjavík.
The neighbourhood plan describes the emphasis points for the detailed zoning work for the area and it is assumed that the following issues will be considered:
– Up to 100 flats, primarily on the upper floors.
– Commercial activity in part of the building.
– Servies, such as coffee houses and shops.
– Facilities for social services will be improved, such as a public community centre.
– The Scout Association has requested housing facilities in the area.
The Rangársel development area
Rangársel-Hólmasel is now defined as a development area and an area centre in the neighbourhood plan, see illustration on the left.
The area is approx. 47 thousand m² in size. The illustration on the right shows how the possible development of the area.
Aerial photo and illustration: City of Reykjavík and Jakob Jakobsson architect.
Upper-Breiðholt
In Upper-Breiðholt there are two main centres for neighbourhood services, Fellagarðar at Eddufell and Hólagarður. You could however say that the centre of the area is rather at Gerðuberg-Hraunberg and Austurberg where many of the main service establishments of the area are linked; Gerðuberg Culture House, library, swimming pool, health care centre, leisure activity centre, secondary school and more, mixed in with shopping facilities and other services.
When the working proposals for the neighbourhood plan were presented in the summer of 2020, ideas for development in connection with these three area centres were presented.
At Gerðuberg and Austurberg there is the centre of Upper-Breiðholt and of this sector of the city in its totality.
Upper-Breiðholt
The present situation at Austurberg, where there are ideas for strengthening it as an area centre and the centre of Breiðholt.
Picture: City of Reykjavík.
Gerðuberg-Austurberg
In the proposals presented in the neighbourhood plan there is still the idea to strengthen this centre of the area and of Breiðholt as a whole, by an increased supply of commercial and residential housing and that way increase the balance in the number of flats and employment opportunities.
A diversity of opinions regarding the ideas were received from the residents when the ideas were first introduced in the summer of 2020.
Roughly speaking it is proposed that land utilization in the area is to be improved by allowing new constructions and extensions to older housing along the urban road Austurberg and at Gerðuberg and Hraunberg.
It is assumed that the number of flats can be increased significantly by new construction and extensions on the plots of apartment houses on Austurberg and that adjacent to the shopping centre at Hraunberg and Gerðuberg there will be commercial spaces on the ground floors but flats on the upper floors.
Public spaces and a square will be designed and redefined alongside the development and in connection with the redesign of the urban road at Austurberg.
It is proposed that a centre for dancing and related arts will be built next to Gerðuberg, for further information regarding the dancing galleria, click here.
Gerðuberg-Austurberg
Here it is shown how both residential and commercial housing could be increased in order to strengthen the centre of Upper-Breiðholt.
Illustration: Jakob Jakobsson architect.
Junior college in Breiðholt (FB)
At earlier stages, it was proposed that the Junior College in Breiðholt would move its activities from the lot at Hraunberg 8 and would instead get extra permits for construction on its lot at Austurberg. Following discussions with the Ministry of Education, the FB school authorities and the Framkvæmdasýsla ríkisins (the Government Construction Contract Agency), it has been decided to continue to build up the facilities for the Junior College at Hraunberg 8 according to earlier provisions in the zoning plan. In addition, the school gets an expanded permit to build on the school’s present parking lot at Austurberg; a parking cellar will then be included in the new building.
The Breiðholt-Junior College lot
The illustration on the left shows the 2020 work proposal for the Breiðholt-Junior Collage lot. On the right are the plans from 2021 that permit the construction of two warehouses below the warehouse that is on the top right in the illustration..
Illustrations: Jakob Jakobsson architect.
Eddufell-Völvufell
Extensive renovations are planned at Eddufell and Völvufell.
The proposals have been altered to some degree following the comments and observations regarding the working proposals last summer.
Older buildings will partly be removed and new buildings will be constructed, i.a. for a common kindergarten for Fellahverfi, student housing and flats in row houses in the southernmost part of the area.
Stores and services will continue to be at Fellagarðar and it will be permitted to have flats on the upper floors of the stores.
Expansive renovations are planned at Eddufell and Völvufell where older buildings will have to give way in part, and new houses will be built
Eddufell-Völvufell
To the left are the proposals that were presented in August 2020. On the right are the new proposals, with the changes that were made following consultation with the residents.
Illustrations: Krads architects.
Eddufell – Völvufell
The illustration to the left shows the new kindergarten and the illustration to the right shows new family houses at Drafnarfell.
Illustrations: Krads architects
Area centre by Völvufell−presentation from planning consultant
Kristján Örn Kjartansson, Architect FAÍ Krads Architects.
Hólagarður
During the earlier stages of the planning work ideas were presented about extensions and added storeys on top of existing buildings at Hólagarður, in size up to 12,000 m² for flats and shopping and services.
In the proposals for the neighbourhood plan as they are now presented, Hólagarður, including adjacent kindergarten lots and a vacant area to the east will be defined as a development area.
This means that for the present time there will be no permits issued in the neighbourhood plan for the development of the area, rather the proposals will be developed in a special detailed zoning plan over the next half year.
This will provide a better opportunity to develop ideas for the area in consultation with stakeholders and residents and in concert with the emphasis points set forth in the area zoning plan and in the municipality plan for Reykjavík.
Hólagarður
The present situation at Hólagarður
Picture: City of Reykjavík
The neighbourhood plan describes the emphasis for the local planning work of the area and assumes the the following aspects will be considered:
- – Trade and services will continue on the ground floors at Hólagarður.
- – Apartments and commercial premises will be permitted in superstructures or new buildings.
- – The number of buildings at the shopping centre will be 3-5 floors high.
- – A car park will be located underground and a new neighbourhood square in good connection with the shopping centre will be
- designed on top of the roof of the car park.