Harpa Concert Hall

Where Light Becomes Architecture

Opened in 2011 on Reykjavik's old harbor, Harpa was designed by Henning Larsen Architects, with the faceted glass facade by artist Olafur Eliasson. It houses the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and was completed as a symbol of national recovery after the 2008 financial crisis.

A Facade of Crystallized Basalt

The 12,000 m² facade is made of 1,000+ geometric glass "quasi-bricks" arranged to evoke the basalt columns of Iceland's volcanic landscapes. Many bricks are laminated and lit from within, so the building shifts constantly with the low Arctic sun and harbor reflections.

A Public Living Room

Its ground floor is a public passage — locals cut through it on foot in winter, and the glazed foyer hosts free events. It redefined a national venue as an open civic lantern on the water's edge.