The Icelandic Productive Landscape

In Iceland, nature offers us the most incredible things: raw landscapes from the volcanic nature of the island, warm water gushing from the ground, free energy in abundance. The project studies this Icelandic identity to offer visitors a new approach of this landscape.

This work is the outcome of a research process lived by the prism of travel and photography. It is composed of a written part and a project part, the two being linked to form a global research process on the Icelandic productive landscape by the study of territory, culture, energy and tourism. The Hellisheidi geothermal power plant produces hot water for the heating system and electricity with the steam, this large-scale production transforms the landscape by its geometric pipes that are contrasting with the chaotic nature of the site. The implementation of the project helps preserve the intact natural landscapes by gathering anthropized places. The work speculates about the increase of tourism by proposing a new stay place. The creation of a new hiking circuit reveals the productive landscape and the project redefines the space around the plant to take advantage of this free energy. The route develops itself through different technical sequences of the power plant (boreholes, pipes, steam separator, water tank, hoods, heat exchanger and machinery). Because Icelanders have a special relationship with surrounding volcanic nature, they developed a swimming culture in hot springs spouting directly out of the ground. The bathing becomes the main program of the project, allowing visitors to explore the thermal contrasts by bathing in the wastewater from the power station and entering its water recovery cycle. The project takes place in the hollow of the pipes. It consists of three layers: the natural ground with the baths, a heating platform and a roof set reflecting the surrounding volcanic landscape. This work is a pretext for focusing on space, structure but also a typology, the greenhouse, rudimentary form of architecture. This reflection is only possible in Iceland because of its culture and its relationship with the landscape that I studied. By bringing a human dimension to this infrastructure network, the project aims to reveal hidden beauty. Indeed, if the tourist craze turns to large natural landscapes, it seems interesting to highlight the free energy landscape by adding a new more domestic use.