STÖÐVARFJÖRÐUR ICELAND - NEGOTIATING LIGHT

Sebastian Koukkides

Stöðvarfjörður Iceland - Negotiating Light,Design project - 2018

 

This project came into being by chance while I was in Iceland for an artist residency in a village called Stöðvarfjörður in the east. With a population of just under one hundred, the amount of light pollution in the village detracts from the breathtaking views of the Icelandic landscapes during the night, making it difficult for people to truly appreciate the sky from the village.

 

In response to this, I started contemplating ways to mitigate light pollution. I came to realize that light is essential for the village during the long winter nights in Iceland, so reducing the light sources was not an option. While exploring the area, I discovered an old water tank that offered the perfect vantage point, except for the fact that the village lights were overpowering the starry skies and the northern lights.

 

To address this issue, I created a viewpoint that blocks out the light pollution from the village and provides some shelter from the freezing winds. The water tank is strategically located next to all the footpaths, making it an ideal starting or ending point for hikes.

 

Villages like Stöðvarfjörður, with a population of around 100 people, possess untouched beauty that attracts travellers, making them perfect pit stops. Additionally, some of these villages are undergoing transformation, seeking to evolve into something new. For instance, Stöðvarfjörður had an abandoned fish factory for ten years, which has recently been transformed into an artist residency, providing employment and income for the village. Many other small villages in the East fjords of Iceland have also established artist residencies, turning the east coast into a crucial artistic and cultural hub of Iceland.