Eyrún Una Aradóttir
“vaddúddí - vaddúddí” (the sound of the bird jaðrakan)
around wetlands you can find the bird jaðrakan
the bird makes the noise: “vaddúddí - vaddúddí”
when i went off the path in elliðaárdalur my feet got wet
i walked further and was standing in a swamp
i think it’s special that in the middle of a city there is a place that floods in the spring
the flood leaves the ground soaked for the rest of the year
the shoes represent my experience in the swamp and the bucket represents yours
stepping in the bucket is supposed to feel like stepping in a swamp
„vaddúddí - vaddúddí” (hljóð jaðrakans)
við votlendi má finna fuglinn jaðrakan
hann gefur frá sér hljóðið: „vaddúddí - vaddúddí”
þegar ég fór af stígnum í elliðaárdalnum blotnaði ég í fæturnar
ég labbaði lengra og stóð þá í mýri
Mér finnst merkilegt að í miðri borg geti maður séð leysingar að vori
elliðaáin flæðir yfir bakka sína og skilur jörðina eftir gegnvota
skórnir tákna mína upplifun í mýrinni en fatan ykkar
fatan á að líkja eftir tilfinningunni að stíga útí mýri
Vatnsendi
Eyrún Una Aradóttir og Ólavía Rún Grímsdóttir
Elliðavatn is one of Iceland’s biggest reservoirs, mostly known for its beautiful scenery, located in the outskirts of the city. In its vicinity there are many outdoor activities, which can be hard to access due to the private properties surrounding the lake. Last semester, in the course Urban Lab, we decided to work on a project regarding Elliðavatn. We disovered endless possibilities employing the lake and its surroundings. The main idea was to reclaim the waterbank by opening the areas that are closed to the public, and make paths and activities along the lake.
We decided to move forward with this ideology and picked an old farm called Vatnsendi, located by the lake with a beautiful view over Heiðmörk, Hengilinn, Bláfjöll, Esjuna and more.
On one hand we are using the natural environment. The lake, the fish and the view. Elliðavatn is one of the most popular fishing spots in the city. We want to emphasize and activate these qualities with a boat rental, gutting and fileting services, a restaurant and juvenile fish farming.
On the other hand we are utilizing the man made, the ruins of Vatnsendi. Our design responds to the ruins by exposing the structure. New buildings connect the old ones under the same roof / fold. We made a grid based on the structure of the old buildings and used it as a planning guide.
The building invites you to take part in a process that is concealed in everyday life. A part of a process that takes place before your food is served is revealed. You rent a boat, catch a fish, have it gutted and then cooked in front of you. The leftovers are used as nourishment for the juvenile fish farming that closes the circle and keeps the fish population growing.
Urban Lab - Design Agency