The main thought of planning the city-center of Reykjavík in 2002 was "densification". The densification plan 2002-2024 became a formal goal within the planning commitee and became main focus for the formal area plan. In the end of 2008 it wasn´t controlled by the city anymore but by private investors who with help from the banks were controlling the whole planning scene, building pretty much whatever they wanted. The ideas of the planning comittee of preservation of older buildings and new projects were the basis to work with but instead of enforcing stronger building regulations, the situation got out of control. What now is left is not a denser city at all but huge gaps left when older housing was torn down to make way for the new. And the new that stands ready, mostly empty and was builtmostly with great resistance from nearby residents that formed organisations to stop rising of high rise in the midst of their neighborhood. So they stand left with an unwanted guest.
What´s happening now is that these buildings and plots stand and wait. Some have or wait for their contractors/investors to go bankrupt and some wait for projects to be pressed through to keep the wheels going.
Suggested use for empty houses are mainly to make them into hotels even though there is not a shortage of accomodation in the city. I called the Icelandic tourist board for information on accomodation. There are various guest houses and hotels and it is only during high season or special events that guesthouses are fully booked and then there are normally empty rooms at the better hotels.
It´s very important to think further than just hotels and that the city plan is revised in accordance to the new situation. What can be done right away, what various programs can fill these empty buildings and plots that benefit their surroundings. They can´t all be filled with hotels....
How can these spaces become meaningful again and how can the people around get a connection to them?
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