Regarding the competition, we were primarily captivated by the location. The special atmosphere of the Hverfjall volcano started the design process. The volcano located in northern Iceland and stands out from the surrounding landscape. The concept based on the weight of the volcano, which appears as a "landmark" in the barren, flat, but still attractive landscape, and the route from the city to the top of the volcano. The emphasis was placed on the tripartite of arrival-rest-departure.
The road arriving from the town leads to the visitor and staff parking lots. There are two sidewalks lead from the parking lots to the building. The staff entrance leads directly into the building, while we have to walk further to the visitor entrance. Thus, on the way to the entrance, we can observe the volcano until we are sheltered by the walls of the building. In the interior, the main role is for relaxation, from here, heading further towards the volcano, you will find the building's third entrance. The entrances of the coffee shop are also its exits, so the tripartite mentioned in the concept can be felt both on the way to the mountain and the way back from it.
We placed the coffee shop at the intersection of the car and pedestrian route, and adjusted its mass accordingly. The staff and service functions are located in one of the branch of the "Y"-shaped building, which is aligned with the road coming from the parking lot, while the exhibition space is located in the branch aligned with the hiking trail leading to the volcano. The main function, i.e. the cafe and an information desk, is located in the elongated space formed at the junction of the two branches. As the main attraction of this place lies in the gorgeous sight, we wanted to give as large angle view as possible, which gives a prospect not only of the volcano but also of the landscape. The focal point of the café's nearly 270° panoramic space with a circular counter in the middle with a light channel.
An important part of the plan is the play with opposites. We created a sense of duality by using non-transparent materials and structures on the frontside and transparents on the backside facades. This duality also represents the weight of the volcano and the rocks and the ease of the transparent surfaces and the plain landscape we can see throught them.