Reykjavík City Council has presented plans to build 62 new residential units in Breiðholt, at locations including Suðurhólar, Krummahólar, and the junction of Austurberg and Hraunberg.
The proposals were introduced at a meeting of the city’s Environment and Planning Committee this week.
According to Reykjavík City’s website, the project is being developed in collaboration with residents and local stakeholders.
Emphasis has been placed on gathering the views of those familiar with the neighbourhood and ensuring that development reflects the needs and expectations of the community. Public meetings and consultations have been held with nearby residents, who have been kept informed about the proposals.
The project forms part of a broader initiative in Reykjavík to accelerate housing construction in response to urgent demand.
Family-friendly housing and environmentally conscious design
The homes are intended to be family-friendly and to offer greater size diversity in Upper Breiðholt. The emphasis will be on three- to five-room units, to encourage more families with children to move into the neighbourhood.
The development will also promote biodiversity and green spaces.
Focus will be placed on environmentally sustainable design and construction methods aimed at minimising the carbon footprint, incorporating blue-green stormwater solutions, and using diverse vegetation.
What are blue-green stormwater solutions?
The term refers to the combination of blue (water) and green (vegetation). These solutions aim to manage rainwater and runoff in the most natural way possible, allowing it to infiltrate the ground and preserving the natural water cycle.
This reduces strain on drainage systems, while vegetation can absorb a significant amount of the water.
Blue-green solutions are both cost-effective and environmentally beneficial, being cheaper to construct and operate than conventional sewer systems.
Krummahólar and Austurberg–Hraunberg junction
At Krummahólar, the development site will be reduced from the originally planned 1,472 square metres to 810 square metres. Instead of twelve homes, six are now proposed, to be built as two-storey row and semi-detached houses.
At the Austurberg–Hraunberg junction, a three-storey mixed-use building with sixteen homes is planned. Apartments will be up to 130 square metres in size, with retail or service space on the ground floor.
Largest development in Suðurhólar
The most extensive part of the project is planned in Suðurhólar, where the residential zone will cover 5,095 square metres. The area will include a “green street” with varied landscaping, a playground, and walking paths.
In total, forty-two new homes are planned in Suðurhólar, in the form of row houses and small apartment buildings.
The buildings will be low-rise, two to three storeys in height, with units ranging from 120 to 148 square metres. Homes will include generous outdoor areas and private-use spaces. A shared courtyard will be located between the row houses, for the use of residents.
Source: Mbl.is
