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KRADS

KRADS

Reykjavík, IS | Aarhus, DK

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The billboard facade
The billboard facade
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KAUPTÚN 3

The project was awarded 1st prize in an invited competition in 2006. It is a 22.000 m2 strip mall located in Kauptún, Garðabær, Iceland. The design and construction period was 2006 until 2009,  the contractor is Sýsla ehf and the design team was a collaboration between  KRADS and Ask Arkitektar.

Located in a suburban retail-park the shopping center stands at the foot of a grassy hill, on which there’s planned a mixed-use development.  The concept is simple and utilizes the topography of the site.  By merging the building with the hill above the “backside” of the house is rendered invisible.  The two main facades of the house – which in this case are the front facade and the roof – are then given distinctly different characters.  The green roof becomes a natural extension of  the hill above while the front façade is given a super-commercial appearance.

A modern colonnade is created along the front façade where 7meter high illuminated billboards are incorporated in the load bearing structure.  The billboards serve both as signs for the shops in the center and furthermore they provide the colonnade with shelter from the winds and the frequent horizontal rain-showers in Iceland.

 
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Status: Built
Location: Garðabær, IS

 
The covered street
The covered street
The Loading area
The Loading area
View from the P-zone
View from the P-zone