Lectures and sightseeing

1 Rapid growth of a young city. Lecture and sightseeing.
2 Development of the city centre. Lecture and sightseeing.
3 Planning Fund – buyout of properties. Lecture.

Of all the capital cities in the Nordic countries, Reykjavík is the youngest. It also the city whose growth is the most rapid. At the beginning of the 20th century, the population of Reykjavík was approximately 6,000; by the middle of the century, it was around 50,000, and it is currently close to 115,000. Thus the population today, in the beginning of the 21st century, is 20 times greater than it was in the beginning of the 20th century. The energy evidenced in the development of the city has been without parallel, and guests ask how this can have happened. Where is the manpower to organise and manage all these projects and where does the money come from? Many neighbourhoods are undergoing re-planning, new neighbourhoods are being developed and competitions are held for ideas on the further development of these areas. Some 800 apartments and around 100 thousand sq. metres of commercial property are built annually. A visit to the Reykjavík Planning and Building Department reveals how a young and highly active Division is addressing the formation and growth of the city, and how the city’s administration, participation by financers, consultation and co-operation with interested parties and the operation of the Division make this possible.

The development of the city centre of Reykjavík has been one of the priority projects of city authorities over the past few years. Many large projects have been initiated, of which may be mentioned the construction of The National Concert and Conference Hall by the old harbour. Numerous other projects of extensive scope are undergoing preliminary planning. Among the “tools” the city uses to encourage development is the Planning Fund, a fund the city uses to purchase outright property in the city centre in cases where it is necessary to pave the way for the advancement of planning proposals.

Learn more about The Icelandic National Concert and Conference Centre by clicking here and view photos and videos here