Emphasis is placed on mixed land-use in the development of densification areas, in which case the development of apartments mixed with commercial housing is assumed. Such an emphasis increases services in each neighborhood and increases the opportunities for residents to access shops, services and work within the neighborhood, thus reducing the need for travel.

• Heklureitur
• Skipholt and new Holtatorg

Heklureitur

In July 2021, it was agreed to advertise a proposal for a new local plan for Heklureitur, which covers the plots at Laugavegur 168-174a. The proposal sets out organizational authorizations for apartments, commercial activities and accommodation activities. It is assumed that all buildings on the plot of Laugavegur 168 to 174a will be removed, with the exception of a borehole house. The settlement is shaped with regard to landscape, sun trajectory and weather. It rises highest to the north of Laugavegur and lowest to the south of Brautarholt. 

Up to 463 apartments with shops and services on the street level are expected. The buildings will have 2-7 floors, with the possibility of an 8th floor on the northwest corner of Laugavegur 168. The buildings should be staggered with regard to the direction of the sun and the settlement built in such a way that the central courtyard is well sheltered from the weather and winds by all the buildings. Here you can see the proposal for a local plan which was advertised.

Skipholt and a new Holtatorg

There is a large and partly spontaneous crucible at Skipholt and the adjacent streets. In the area bounded by Skipholt, Bolholt and Háaleitisbraut, two new building plots have been added. A five floor office building with a parking garage will be located on the corner of Háaleitisbraut, but on the corner of Skipholt and Bolholt it will be permitted to build a 4-6 floor residential building with a parking garage and service and retail space on the 1st floor.

On the south side of the intersection of Skipholt and Háaleitisbraut, there are now garages that belong to a multi-unit building, but with the neighborhood plan, landowners are allowed to build 2-3 floor residential buildings there, if they so choose. A new construction right is valuable and the residents’ association can dispose of it and use the profit to finance, e.g. maintenance for the building or lot.

At the other end of Skipholt there is also a lot going on. Building two floors on top of the house at Einholt 2 has been positively received. It has been agreed to present the proposal of the owners of Skipholt 1, which consists of two buildings, for expansion and to accommodate 34 apartments. The corner house would have five floors but other parts four floors. The corner of Brautarholt and Nóatún is now being rebuilt to the west, where Baðhús Lindu was last and before that the club Þórscafé. There will be apartments on the upper floors and commercial activities on the street level.

In this presentation of the neighborhood plan, a proposal is made for a new square at the intersection of Skipholt, Stórholt and Einholt, which could be named Holtatorg. The included image shows a possible implementation of that.

The Reykjavík Planning Officer has also responded positively to the request for permission to build on top of the house at Skipholt 21, which stands on the corner of Skipholt and Nóatún. There will continue to be shops and services on the street level, but apartments will be located on the upper floors, where there was previously commercial housing. 

In 2017, a closed idea competition was held for the planning of lots on the plot which is delimited by Laugavegur, Bolholt, Skipholt, Brautarholt and Nóatún and the surrounding areas as a whole with regard to development and strengthening of the area as a whole. The main emphasis was on development along the transport and development axis at Laugavegur 168-176, (Heklureitur), but part of the competition was also the eastern part of the area to Bolholt. This was included to ensure a holistic planning vision for the area as a whole and to ensure that the development of Heklureitur would not impair future possibilities on adjacent lots.

The winning proposal came from Yrki architects The jury’s comments state, i.a. that the settlement’s adaptation to land is good, 5-6 floors to Laugavegur and 1-4 floors in the southern part of the area where the land rises highest at Skipholt. Housing is well suited for a mixed settlement with an emphasis on apartments, where both the privacy of residents with enclosed courtyards, and diverse public spaces and walking paths around the area, are taken into account. The scope and type of public spaces are suitable for the area’s surroundings and the flow of all means of transport is good. The construction of low-rise buildings by Skipholt is interesting and supports the development of the street as an urban street.

Hlemmur
A new local plan for the Hlemmur area was approved in 2020 and the area will undergo major changes. The main bus exchange will be moved from Hlemmur, which will continue to be an important connection point for public transport, both Borgarlínan and bus routes, and at the same time a destination for pedestrians and a venue for various events. Retail space is to be increasingly integrated with street life and restaurant activities. Hlemmtorg will be the center of gravity and the boundaries of the city center to the north and east.  There are a total of 3,150 parking spaces on the street and in parking garages within a five-minute walk (400 m) from Hlemmur.

Hlemmur’s backbone has been strengthened in recent years and it is anticipated that this development will continue with the development of residential housing in the immediate vicinity. Here’s more information about proposed changes to Hlemmur.

Veðurstofuhæð – Development area

According to the current land-use plan, 250 apartments are expected on Veðurstofuhæð with a 20 percent margin of error, which means that the number of apartments will be somewhere between 200 and 300. About a third of this could be built on so-called green plots. Care will be taken to cast as little shadow as possible on the detached residential area north of the hill.
How this area will be expanded is still unclear and all ideas are welcomed. This needs to be kept in mind:
The Meteorological Office’s operations will be in the area but moved to the building that Landsvirkjun owned. What to do with the current Meteorological Office? One possibility that has been mentioned is that the building can be turned into student housing.
Among the possibilities that have been mentioned is to build a parking garage that would accommodate up to 100-120 vehicles and would be shared with the Meteorological Office. The building could possibly house various services and a grocery store on the ground floor.
Connections to adjacent areas will be repaired, not least greatly improved access for pedestrians and cyclists from all corners.
A green area to the east at the corner of Bústaðavegur and Kringlumýrarbraut remains, but there is currently lush grassland and dolerite cliffs.
Ideas have been put forward for installing a so-called eco bridge over Kringlumýrarbraut by Veðurstofuhæð. An eco bridge is a green bridge, covered with vegetation with walking paths. This would completely alter the appearance of the area and the connection of Hlíðar to Leiti. 

Residents’ ideas on the utilization of Veðurstofuhæð are requested.