Ástjarnarkirkja congregational hall

From the report:
The parish committee of Ástjarnarkirkja held an open design competition in collaboration with the Icelandic Society of Architects and requested ideas for the design of a congregational hall and the layout of the site, where the interrelationship between the congregational hall and the planned church would be clarified. In the first phase, a congregational hall will be built and a church building in the second phase. The Ástjarnarkirkja site is on the border of a residential area and a shopping and service area. The church site is unique in its location, environment and close connection to the protected lava field.

The combination of the congregational hall and the church should be flexible and offer a variety of uses in the present and future. A user-friendly multi-purpose building for the congregation’s diverse activities. The congregational hall will initially serve the role of a church. The congregational hall is a multi-purpose hall, which can be divided into up to five smaller halls, with movable wall units, and the congregational hall can be combined with a vestibule and café into one large space.

The interior of the church building is bright and warm. The interplay of light and shadow plays an important role, with side light coming from windows to the south and overhead light coming from skylights, which create an irregular pattern in the roof surface. The east wall is a large window wall that will later open into the church space.

Flexibility in terms of phasing means that the church building can stand as a fully completed building until the church is built. The choice of materials is based on durable and maintenance-friendly building materials, which are optimal with regard to environmental and ecological factors.