Iceland is the land of fire and ice, and its design reflects this duality. In Reykjavik, a hotel lobby extends the landscape outside the window. We explore using basalt columns of natural hexagonal shapes to create reception desks, integrating geothermal heating into floors and furniture, and using sheepskins for coziness. This is the harsh but incredibly attractive aesthetic of the North.
Basalt Geometry
Iceland's nature has already created perfect building blocks — hexagonal basalt columns. We don't saw the stone; we use it in its pristine form, assembling the desk like a puzzle. Varying element heights create a rhythmic, 'organ-pipe' facade. Matte black stone absorbs light, creating a dramatic contrast with white walls or snow outside. It's a monument to geological power right at the entrance.
Earth's Heat
Geothermal Comfort
In Iceland, energy is cheap. We design 'warm stones': countertops and benches in the lobby are heated by hot water from geothermal springs. A guest coming in from the cold leans against the reception and feels living heat coming from the earth's depths. It's a unique tactile experience impossible to forget.
