Edda, the recently completed Centre for Icelandic Studies, gets no mobile phone reception is several spots throughout the building due to its distinctive copper siding.
Kristinn Jóhannesson, director of operations and technology at the University of Iceland stated to RÚV that it was an unfortunate but understandable growing pain for the new building.
Edda had been in the works for some time, only opening earlier this year to the public. Plans for the new facility, which will house Iceland’s priceless collection of medieval manuscripts, were approved in 2005. However, the banking collapse and several other setbacks delayed the project. By 2013, it was defunded by the then-sitting government, only to be taken up again in 2016, and construction properly resuming in 2019.
The new centre, which will additionally serve as a home for literary studies and Icelandic language teaching, is notable for its distinct architectural style. On the outside of the building, excerpts from medieval manuscripts are stamped on the copper façade. However, it is exactly this modern and striking design that is now causing problems for the new building, with areas throughout the building without mobile reception, according to RÚV.
Kristinn stated to RÚV that the university has received some complaints regarding the matter, but he’s hopeful a solution will be found. He also stated that the staff is still settling in to the new building, and it’s difficult to tell so far how pleased university workers and students are with the new facilities.
Classes in Edda are set to begin in the new year, and Kristinn states that several other kinks are currently being ironed out, such as lighting and settings for the heating and ventilation.
