Located in the suburbs of Reykjavík, this midcentury gem was first designed in the 1960s by Guðmundur Kr. Kristinsson, one of the first post-war architects in Iceland. However, after being sold, the new homeowners determined the property was in need of a thoughtful revamp in order to be a suitable modern home for their growing family.

The property owners turned to local architecture firm Gláma Kím to work on renovating the home with respect to the architect's original design.

"The office has worked on a number of Kristinsson´s private buildings, in most cases renovating and retrofitting to meet the developing demands of modern family life," explains Ástríður Magnúsdóttir, a representative of Gláma Kím. "Great care and work is put into understanding the original intent, and preserving the special qualities embedded in the structures."

"When the renovation work started, the original owners expressed their concern to a mutual friend that we were 'damaging the house.' Frankly, it was not surprising that they thought this, because the construction work was extensive and, at times, quite scary looking."

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"Later, we invited them over for an afternoon coffee and showed them the house. They checked every nook and cranny and were very pleased. They appreciated the care that had been placed in retaining the original qualities of their home, and gave us their blessing on the changes. For us, this was a very special afternoon."

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Gláma Kím

Structural Engineer: Conis

Civil Engineer: Conis

Landscape Design: LANDSLAG

Lighting Design: Lumex, Helgi Eiriksson

Interior Design: Gláma Kím

Cabinetry Design: Gláma Kím

Photography: Nanne Springer

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A Historic Icelandic Midcentury Gets an Alluring Modern Twist