BIRKIMÖRK

This apartment housing block is Located in the lowlands of Hveragerði, a small town of 1,700 inhabitants 45 km east of Reykjavik. Surrounded by an imposing mountain range to the north, the town is conveniently located on Route 1, Iceland's main highway. From the beginning, it was clear that the task was to create a welcoming sense of home, free of any associations with institutional living.

The architectural appearance is simplistic and characterised by a sincere and clear composition of two white blocks with different heights, separated by a distribution corridor. The entrance formed by an L-shaped exposed concrete wall leads to a common lounge, which is connected to a terrace and to the main kitchen of the house. The apartments on one side and service spaces on the other are connected by a corridor in the middle of the building, where natural light from skylights creates a warm and serene ambience.

The five apartments are fully equipped for the needs of the residents. The apartments are all 35 square metres each, including a kitchen and bathroom. Tracks inlaid in the ceilings facilitate transportation of the residents inside the house, connecting the apartments with common service rooms on the other side of the corridor such as a common bathroom facility.

The exterior walls are plastered white, with simple horizontal window openings. Walnut is the main material choice for floor and fittings, which were custom designed by PK Arkitektar.