Hverfisgata: Reference objects

It plays with shapes and colours: self-taught Icelandic architect Tryggvi Tryggvason’s design creates a connection to nature, with Iceland’s lava, glaciers and cliffs. To do this, he uses rhomboid tiles, shingles and Siding.X in white, sand colours and anthracite grey.

The particular, unusual combination of colours and shapes are what make the property feel so solid. ‘It is an interplay of colours and shapes,’ Tryggvason says of his design. He originally thought of using austere earthy tones but quickly rejected the idea. ‘It was too much,’ he says, explaining that he then opted for brighter and friendlier colours, all in the pursuit of lightness. Now, the property shines in white and sandy colours. ‘The dark, almost black anthracite-coloured Siding.X, laid vertically, alludes to the rock formations that the lava creates here,’ explains the architect, who is particularly fond of the Siding.X elements. ‘The structure recalls the way in which lava cools and fractures. This produces hexagonal areas,’ says Tryggvason. The white, on the other hand, represents the snow. The rounded part of the building, fashioned using white rhomboid tiles, is inspired by Iceland’s glaciers. Its structure is reminiscent of fish skin. The sandy colour rounds off the vision perfectly. The shingle, on the other hand, is striking in its asymmetry. Three colours, three shapes. ‘The number three dominates my design,’ says the architect.

Siding.X in P.10 anthracite and P.10 sand brown
Rhomboid roof tile 29 x 29 in custom colour
Shingles in P.10 anthracite