City residents’ dream of a future library  

Over the past six years, people of all ages and from diverse groups in society have participated in shaping a dream of a future City Library. The process has involved extensive consultation in which city residents and City Library staff have participated in numerous workshops, projects, and surveys on the needs of users and staff. In this way, we’ve shaped the dream of our future library together. 

Design competition organised by the City of Reykjavík

In 2022, a design competition on the redesign and expansion of the Grófarhús building was announced. Five teams were chosen to participate in the pre-selection and each submitted a proposal for the building’s transformation. The winning project is called Vitavegur, and is by the Dutch architectural firm JVST, the design team Inside Outside, Hanrath Architect and Kreatíva design studio. Engineering firm Efla is responsible for the engineering design.

The design team has actively participated in the consultation process and listened carefully to city residents’ various wishes. The design of the new Grófarhús building is a response to the call for a shared space that is useful to us all; a place for humanity, as one user put it at a workshop on the future library.

The new human-friendly and cosy community library in Grófarhús is scheduled to open its doors in 2031. The design process is in the advanced stages, and construction is scheduled to begin in 2027. 

Peeking into the future 

In collaboration with the design team, the City Library has made the process more visible to the new library’s future users with a dynamic “window display” that changes regularly as the design progresses. In the first window, we see the big picture, look at the exterior of the building, and get a first impression of the indoor space. The window display is located in the extension next to Grófarhús, on the Tryggvagata street side.

Laboratory of Imagination at DesignMarch

The Laboratory of Imagination is open during DesignMarch from April 3-6, 2025, in the extension to the Grófarhús building. It gives city residents a glimpse of the proposed design of the children’s department, for which the Grófarhús design team has teamed up with interdisciplinary design team ÞYKJÓ to design an entire floor dedicated to children. Children and their families will finally get the indoor space they have been calling for, as the children’s department will expand from 203 m2 to 600 m2.

At the Laboratory of Imagination, the public is given the opportunity to participate in putting the finishing touches on the children’s floor by taking part in creative workshops and discussions with ÞYKJÓ.

The Circular Economy

The heart of library operations is the circular economy; sharing and reusing. The redesign of Grófarhús strongly emphasises all forms of reuse, with the aim being for the future library to achieve BREEAM Excellent environmental certification. The design team has commissioned an assessment on which materials can be reused, and they include all of the building’s existing exterior cladding, which will be surface-treated and reused indoors in a variety of ways.

Room for people 

The library will expand by over 50%, from 2700 m2 to 5977 m2. The Vitavegur path, to which the name of the project refers, will start on the first floor and lead you on a journey up through the entire building to the lighthouse on the top floor. Whether you want to enjoy reading in peace surrounded by books and plants, participate in an event or organise one, meet new people, spend quality time with family, browse or work, the new library’s Vitavegur path will meet your needs or help you discover something new and exciting.

An open space for all

The first floor will be a welcoming space for everyone. Here, you can access the library’s main services and information, pick up books you’ve reserved, return materials, and discover the newest additions to the shelves. You can also look up at all of the floors in a bright atrium that extends up through the entire building. There, you catch a glimpse of the library’s path system, the pink Vitavegur, which suggests an exciting journey through the building. All accessibility is designed with the diverse needs of users in mind.

A place to bring children

The second floor is dedicated to children, and the children’s department is expanding from 203 m2 to 600 m2. Families have been calling for a space for parents and children, where they can meet each other and connect, and the new children’s department emphasises this. The children’s floor will be a land of adventures and experiences, truly a place for the imagination, where everything is designed with the diverse needs of families in mind. There is a play area for children of all ages that encourages discovery and play, but also togetherness and relaxation. There is a large workshop room on the children’s floor that hosts creative events and a story room where fairy tales come to life. The space is surrounded by books set up in a way that encourages reading. There, children can enjoy reading on their own in all sorts of nooks and crannies or cuddle up with family over a book in a cosy and safe environment. The children’s floor will be the space that families in the city have been asking for.

Spaces for creating

The library will have numerous and dynamic spaces for users. The third floor will have a variety of exciting spaces, including areas where you can put on film screenings or plays, spaces to play video games, computers with all the leading software, a podcast studio, and a recording studio, just to name a few things.

What about all the books? 

The collection is the heart of the library, and the fourth floor will be a quiet area dedicated to books. You’ll find books on every floor of the library, whether you’re just poking your nose into the first floor to get your hands on the latest titles or want to read in peace and quiet on the fourth floor. A diverse and exciting collection awaits you on your way along the Vitavegur path, where you can get lost in the shelves, maybe discover something new or find the book that changes your life!  On the fourth floor, there’s enough space to sit down and flip through a book or study in peace and quiet. If you need a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life, want to meditate or just be alone, you’ll find a dedicated reflection space with a view of the ocean where you can spend quality time without interruption.

Our paths meet at the Community Square

On the fifth floor, you’ll find the Community Square (Samfélagstorgið). The idea behind the square is that anyone can use it to raise awareness of issues, connect with others, exercise, recharge their batteries, and hold discussions or experiments. The Community Square offers endless possibilities for city residents to create something new and share it with others. Those who have recently arrived in the country find a way into the community so that we can nurture it together. There’s no other place like this in the city, and it’ll be fun to see the square come to life in line with city residents’ needs and ideas. For those who want to work in peace and quiet, it’s a good idea to book a closed workspace for individuals or groups, which can be found on the 5th floor.

Rooftop garden, café, and event space - eat and enjoy

On the sixth and seventh floors there is a magnificent café and rooftop garden, with spectacular views in all directions. On beautiful summer days, you can enjoy the weather on the patio, and when cold winds blow, a hot drink in the warm greenhouse is just the ticket. There is also a large event space with facilities for holding meetings, lectures, and concerts. The event space and café can be used outside the library’s opening hours for a variety of events.

The 5th floor is used as a community kitchen and workshop space for a variety of events where diverse cultures can enjoy sharing food and experiences.

This new library in the heart of Reykjavík will be an essential part of city residents’ lives for years to come!