newitalianblood

The new Art Museum occupies two floors of the south wing and three floors of the north wing of a concrete warehouse built about an open court between 1933-39. At the turn of the twentieth century the main pier in Reykjavík, Iceland’s umbilical cord to the world, occupied the site. This link is reawakened in the Art Museum. Externally the building is predominantly painted ‘Fishery Protection Vessel’ grey with the museum demarcated in white. A concrete canopy marks the entrance and new windows either contain hermetically sealed doors or allow glimpses into the south gallery. Internally the canopy reflects light into the double height lobby which is one of a series of spaces, lined with hot rolled steel sheets and black walnut floors, which collectively form the ‘pier link’.