Development
areas in Breiðholt
Seven areas have been demarcated in Breiðholt as development areas where there are plans for quite substantial new construction projects
Of these seven development areas, Arnarbakki and Eddufell-Völvufell stand out because the detailed zoning plans for these areas have been developed alongside the neighbourhood plan and will now simultaneously enter a formal presentation and approval procedure. Other development areas are Jórufell-Norðurfell, Suðurfell, Mjódd, Suðurhólar-Hólagarður and Rangársel-Hólmasel.
The areas by Arnarbakki and Eddufell-Völvufell stand out as their zoning has been worked out in parallel to the neighbourhood plan
Jórufell-Norðurfell
The development area covers the housing area at Jórufell and Iðufell, including adjacent parking lots and city land. During the consultation procedure when the neighbourhood plan was being developed, ideas came up about developing a new residential area there in collaboration with Reykjavík Social Housing, which is the owner of all flats in the apartment building at Jórufell. There are also plans to discontinue the kindergarten Ösp at Iðufell and merge it with other kindergartens in the area. There is now an excellent opportunity to review the land use in this area and to develop the residential area.
The neighbourhood plan gives an account of the primary points of emphasis that should be a basic requirement in the work on a new detailed zoning plan for the development area. It states there that the quantity of buildings within that area will be increased by constructing new buildings or with extensions to existing buildings (including upward extensions). It should be assumed that the facilities of the kindergarten Ösp will be removed but it should be determined in the zoning plan whether other buildings will be kept or torn down. The number of floors should not exceed five storeys. Only residential housing should be considered the area, up to 200 flats.
There should be an emphasis on furnishing a well sheltered leisure area/play ground in the southern part of the area.
Request for larger family flats
During the consultation process for the neighbourhood plan it has been emphatically requested that the number of larger size family flats (4+ rooms) should be increased in Upper-Breiðholt as the ratio of such flats is rather low compared with the average in the city.
This would make it easier for people to get a bigger home within the neighbourhood when their families grow and it would also make better use of the facilities of the kindergartens and the elementary schools, as well as strengthen the grounds for diverse sports and leisure activities, shops and services. A special emphasis will therefore be placed on sensible family flats in the Jórufell-Norðurfell development area.
During the consultation procedure for the neighbourhood plan ideas came up about developing new residential housing in Jórufell, in collaboration with Reykjavík Social Housing
Development area at Jórufell-Norðurfell
The demarcated area is a total of 21,366 m² and covers the housing lots Jórufell 2-12, Iðufell 14 and 16 and the adjacent parking space and land owned by the city.
Illustration: City of Reykjavík.
Jórufell and Iðufell
During the consultation procedure when the neighbourhood plan was being developed, ideas came up about developing new residential housing in this area in collaboration with Reykjavík Social Housing, which owns all flats in the apartment building at Jórufell.
Picture: Bragi Þór Jósefsson.
Architect contest
In cooperation with the Icelandic Association of Architects, a contest for a zoning plan for the development area has been outlined in order to obtain multifarious ideas regarding the development of the area. The residents of the area will be informed about the pending contest and at the same time it will be ensured that the residents will be able to present ideas regarding the contest specifications.
Suðurfell
The development area is located on the hillside east of Suðurfell.
The area is vacant and forms the edge of the southernmost part of the area towards Elliðaárdalur valley. Peculiar for Upper Breiðholt is a widespread settled area of scattered single family houses which forms the edge of the settled area towards the valley and towards areas for outdoors activities everywhere, except at Suðurfell. Scattered, low-rise, individual houses in the development area at Suðurfell is therefore a logical continuation and will enclose the ring around the neighbourhood.
The neighbourhood plan lays out the rough outline for the drawing up of the detailed zoning plan. It states that there will be up to 50 flats in the area in two-floor or three-floor houses that will be arranged according to the contours of the hillside. Each house will consist of one to four flats and the emphasis is on a larger size of family flats, as was called for by the residents during the consultation process for the neighbourhood plan. In particular it will be considered whether the plots within the development area fulfil the requirements for alotment as green development plots, cf. the goals of the Green Plan, the Reykjavík forward action plan until 2030.
Scattered single-family houses form the edge of the area towards Elliðaárdalur and the outdoor recreational areas there, except for the undeveloped land at Suðurfell
Development area at Suðurfell
The picture above shows the uninhabited Suðurfell development area, located on the hillside east of Suðurfell. The picture to the right shows how the area, where 50 flats are planned to be built, is situated in the Upper-Breiðholt.
Pictures: City of Reykjavík and Bragi Þór Jósefsson.
Mjódd
The zoning and future development of Mjódd is outside the framework of the neighbourhood plan. This involves two development areas in the neighbourhood plan, North- and South-Mjódd, and work on the zoning plan is presently being performed for both areas. After the development of these areas has been completed, in accordance with the new detailed zoning plan, it will be merged with the neighbourhood plan.
North-Mjódd
The area is defined as a central area and city sector centre in the municipality plan for Reykjavík. It is first and foremost being considered for activities that will service whole city sectors, such as retail and services, offices and organisations including leisure activities and flats, in particular on the top floors of buildings. There are more extensive provisions for the operation of restaurants and clubs in the central areas than in other places.
The municipality plan also defines the area as a special development sector for the densification and mixed-use development. The plan calls for more commercial buildings, 100-200 flats within the area, and that the need for parking will be solved by an underground park or a parking building.
New sports facilities in Mjódd
The pictures show the ÍR sports facilities in South-Mjódd. The multiple-purpose building that has been built, including an annex, is on the top of the drawing to the right and below, on the right side of the illustration, is the so-called parquet-house. Senior citizens in nearby residential areas will be able to use the facilities in both buildings for sports activities, exercise and for social purposes.
Pictures: Bragi Þór Jósefsson and Landhönnun langdslagsarkitektar – Land Designers.
South-Mjódd
The development area can be divided into three parts according to the defined land use in the general zoning plan. The north-eastern part of the area, alongside Breiðholtsbraut, and at Árskógar and Skógarsel, has been defined as a residential area. Part of the area is a special development sector in the municipality plan and development of this sector is well advanced. To the north-west of the residential area, along Reykjanesbraut, is a defined central area according to the municipality plan.The area is still completely undeveloped, but there exist provisions permitting activities as these are defined in the Master plan, comparable to those in the central area of North-Mjódd. The third part of the area is the ÍR sports area with facilities.
pR – Sports area
In South-Mjódd, there is an sports area for ÍR which covers over 10 hectares; it includes sports-halls, fields and training areas. Recently, an over 4,200 m² multipurpose building with half a soccer field and athletic training facilities was opened. Connected to it is a more than 1,100 m² annex with facilities for spectators and locker rooms, storage facilities for tools and equipment and a splendid weight lifting hall. Construction work began in 2019 and was completed in the spring of 2020. The cost was more than ISK one billion.
Presently, a sports hall of apporximately 4,220 m² is in construction adjacent to the multipurpose building. This is the so-called parquet-house where people can train and take part in various sporting events. The gymnasium will be approximately 2,400 m² on a single floor and there will be space for about 800 spectators. The sports-hall will meet the requirements for both handball and basketball sports-matches.
Construction began in 2020 and the planned completion is in the summer of 2022. The costs involved for this project is ISK 1,250 million.
In South-Mjódd, a sports area for ÍR, which covers more than 10 hectares, includes sports-halls, fields and training areas
ÍR sports area
Here you can see the location of the main sports facilities at the ÍR area in Mjódd:
1. The multipurpose building, 2. The parquet-house, 3. Artificial grass field, 4. Soccer training-field, 5. Athletic training field.
Illustration: Landhönnun landslagsarkitektar.
Suðurhólar-Hólagarður
Alongside Suðurhólar there is an undeveloped area east of the lots of the kindergartens Hólaborg and Suðurborg which has been defined as a development area for new residential buildings. A decision was made to expand the development area in the neighbourhood plan and accordingly it now also covers the kindergarten grounds and the shopping centre Hólagarður, as well as the adjacent parking areas.
The neighbourhood plan defines the main points of emphasis for the development and build-up of the shopping centre as is mentioned in the discussion about the strengthening of area centres. For other parts of the development area it is expected that the Suðurborg lot will be enlarged towards the east so that its demarcation in the zoning plan will conform to its actual use and its demarcation as it is at present. On the undeveloped area to the east of the play schools it is furthermore to be assumed new construction lots will be demarcated for residential housing in joint buildings two to three floors high, a total of 40 flats. There is a soccer field presently located in this area, and the plan is to move it into an open area which is connected with the main walking path of the area and is situated above the lots.
Upper Breiðholt
The present situation at Hólagarður where there are ideas involving renovation and development.
Picture: City of Reykjavík.
It has been decided to make the whole area at Suðurhólar – Hólagarður into a development area and that it will be re-purposed in the detailed zoning plan
Hólagarður – Suðurhólar
The overshadowed field above shows the development area which covers in total more than 35,000 m².
To the right is areal view of the development area and its surroundings.
Pictures: City of Reykjavík and Bragi Þór Jósefsson.
Rangársel – Hólmasel
In the presentation of the working proposals for the neighbourhood plan in the summer of 2020, ideas for developments alongside Rangársel and Hólmasel were pressented with emphasis on shops and services on the ground floors, flats on upper floors and good connections with open surrounding areas.
Following the presentation a number of comments and observations were received regarding the ideas and in the following it was decided to make the relevant area into a development area. That way the ideas can be further developed in a detailed zoning plan, in consultation with stakeholders and residents and in concert with the emphasis points of the municipality plan for Reykjavík. Under the discussion about the strengthening of area centres, here on this website, there is further information about the emphasis points the neighbourhood plan defines for the area, and the zoning plan is to take into consideration.
Rangársel