The Art Newspaper

New Eliasson building finally completed

Installation of the façade had been delayed for months because of structural concerns

By Clemens Bomsdorf. Web only
Published online: 06 September 2011

Eliasson's glass facade for the Harpa concert hall (Photo: Hördur Sveinsso)

REYKJAVÍK. Danish artist Olafur Eliasson's façade for Harpa, Reykjavík's newest conference centre and concert hall, was unveiled on 20 August.

The venue opened in May but the completion of its façade was delayed. Installation was initially halted in November 2010 after tests showed that the glass used—manufactured in China and later remade—was not strong enough to withstand the pressures of wind.

Eliasson, whose parents are Icelandic, created the façade using hexagonal cubes reminiscent of the basalt columns frequently found in the country. The cubes form a 2,500 sq. m grid and hold glass plates which change colour depending on the light.

The project was developed before Iceland entered a financial crisis in October 2008, when questions were raised regarding the country's ability to provide the funds required to complete construction. In early 2009, the government decided to finish the building but restructured the project in order to reduce costs.