Green roofs are a growing trend in architecture, and there are several examples you can find out there. Thingvallavatn House located on a densely vegetated hill in southwestern Iceland is one recent example that utilizes the same roofing technique to adapt with the landscape. It is a unique, holiday home sporting large openings that offer mesmerizing views of Iceland’s Lake Thingvallavatn.
Constructed by Denmark- and Iceland-based architecture office KRADS, this holiday home features a turfed roof that slopes partly towards and partly with the hill to blend effortlessly with the site. Furthermore, the house is built on three concrete floor slabs that lie on different heights and follow the slope to create a connection with the terrain.
The location of the house has been selected carefully in order to make the building blend well in the surround and provide expansive views of the landscape.
Toward the North, the house rises above the low scrub to give an unobstructed view of Þingvallavatn and the mountain Skjaldbreið from the main room of the house while the main room opens onto a south-west-facing terrace in the opposite direction. This space provides views of the mountains Jórutindur and Hátindur.
The construction team wanted to preserve the landscape so they established a green, natural grass roof. The roof is accessed from inside, from the house’s sleep- and play loft, or from the outside where the slope starts at the foot of the integrated boat shed.
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Thingvallavatn House comprises three parts, all featuring a green roof, sloping on two different sides. Its black, wood-paneled exterior further helps it fit into the greenish landscape. This summer house is built for the musicians Tina Dickow and Helga Hrafn Jónsson. Find more information about it on the KRADS official website.
