Building Techniques in Reykjavik 1840-1940

Reykjavik began to grow as the nation’s capital around 1850. Important government and educational institutions were moved to the capital. More thought was given to town planning and a committee for building regulations was established for that purpose. The committee had responsibilities for distributions of land and issued construction licenses.  The building committee also made sure that the building code was not violated.
The exhibition is divided into three main sections. The first section deals with houses made from stone, with an emphasis on the “steinbær” (half-stone house) which existed only in Reykjavík. The second part deals with timber buildings, specially Chalet type house. They were built when mechanizations was about to transform the building-industry and Icelandic carpenters had perfected construction of such houses. The third part sees the begining of the concrete age. The emphasis is on houses built in the so-called Functionalist style and also workers´ housing on Hringbraut. When the latter were build, artisans had finally mastered the art of building houses in concrete. The exhibition is set to be a permanent exhibitions and its goal is to supplement the Museums historical buildings as well as other listed buildings in Reykjavik.