The designer team Himinn & Haf, comprised of architect Guðni Valberg, fashion designer Laufey Jónsdóttir and visual artist Hallgerður Hallgrímsdóttir, have renovated the park Fógetagarðurinn on the corner of Aðalstræti and Kirkjustræti in they city center.
From Fógetagarðurinn. The statue of Skúli Magnússon. Courtesy of Himinn & Haf.
Named after Skúli Magnússon, a former governor of Iceland who brought industrial production to Reykjavík in the mid-18th century, the park stands on the city’s oldest cemetery, Víkurgarður, which dates back to the settlement of Iceland in the ninth century AD.
Fógetagarðurinn is sunny and provides shelter from the wind, it is home to the oldest tree in Reykjavík and up to 30 generations of the capital’s residents have been laid to rest there, a press release describes. Even so, very few people drop by, let alone spend time in the park.
This is about to change, if Himinn & Haf’s plans work out. This summer, Fógetagarðurinn will accommodate a floating sculpture of strings, unorthodox seating facilities and various events.
The project’s opening is today, June 23, between 3 and 5 pm and all are welcome.
The initiative is part of the project Torg í biðstöðu (“Squares on Hold”) organized by Reykajvík City authorities, involving experiments with public spaces in collaboration with creative minds.
ESA
