Harpa

You know how some places have very distinct looks to them? It's easy to describe the type of architecture there like modern, Victorian, colonial, or what have you. Well Iceland is not a place that can defined by its architecture. There are mixes of European influence, modern style, what I just call Icelandic, and then...and then there's the Harpa.

Even after being back for months now, I can honestly say I still have very little idea what the Harpa is. From my take it is a community center or a civic center of sorts, but the building itself is a tourist attraction on its own just by the shear appearance from the outside.

A few words that come to mind when looking at Harpa may be: unique, weird, odd, interesting, goofy, beautiful, modern, morphing, and/or changing. These words also come to mind when thinking about the character of Iceland's architecture and overall personality. Driving by the Harpa, it is truly captivating in the way in which it moves, yes moves. The outside as you can see has these panels that appear to shift and alter its color. It is even better at night! The eccentric blues and purples that cause the building to glow definitely make it a must-see building in Reykjavik.  

Whether or not we were allowed to, my friends and I were curious to see as much as we could, so we walked in.....and went to the top floor. We looked around, it appeared there was a gift shop on the first floor and a restaurant or bar on the third or fourth. It was definitely a special building unlike anything I've ever seen. The inside was just as reflective of the exterior...

All I can say is the architects of Harpa had to have excelled in geometry during school...well that or they were probably thinking they could 

Just wing it.

-C