City center

Description of the action and objectives

Green Deal action

In the coming years, the city center area will continue to develop with accompanying effects on its environment and daily life. Among the largest projects of the coming years will be the development of Laugavegur into a pedestrian street all year round, an increase in pedestrian streets in Kvosin, the construction of a new city square at Hlemmur and the CityLine will pass through Hverfisgata and Lækjargata. Also, a collaborative group is working to increase the oversights of city center issues, support targeted information dissemination on them, and enhance collaboration and consultation between stakeholders and city departments

Implementation period

Planned completion in the second half of 2030

Status: In progress

Status report on January 1, 2023

Work was carried out on the ordinance of the new city center marketing association, as well as developing a cooperation agreement with Reykjavík City. Four meetings have been held on noise pollution in the city center, with the Public Health Authority and police taking stricter measures. The discussions have been informative and positive. In addition, a night bus was launched, a project that will be continued on behalf of Reykjavík City. Applications for the Miðborg Fund were advertised in November. More applied in 2022 than previous years, with a total of 43 applications received. Out of these, 23 projects were granted support totaling 21,450,000 kr. In the eastern wing of Hafnarhús, a creative arts space called Hafnar.haus opened. There, anyone interested in creative spaces can apply for facility access for a minor fee. With these efforts, support is being given for creative development, ensuring a convergence of arts, design, programming, and innovation.

Older status reports

Below you can find older status reports with information on the progress of the action since its inception (if you're using your phone, it's better to turn it sideways).
Timing Progress description
July 2022

Work is underway to establish a new city center marketing association as a venue for individuals and companies operating businesses in downtown Reykjavík with the goal of creating positive experiences and boosting business, trade, services, and jobs in the area. Lækjartorg is set for significant changes in the near future following the selection of a winning proposal in a design competition in March. The competition area spanned Lækjartorg, Lækjargata from Hverfisgata to Austurstræti, Austurstræti from Lækjargata to Ingólfstorg, and Bankastræti from Þingholtsstræti to Austurstræti. In May, a declaration of intent for the future housing of the Iceland Academy of the Arts (LHÍ) in Tollhúsið (the Customs House) by Tryggvagata was signed. Thus, Tollhúsið takes on a new role as a hub for creative industries in Iceland. There, for the first time since the school's foundation, all divisions will come together under one roof. A working group has been set up regarding the future housing of Kolaportið, which needs to move out of Tollhúsið with the arrival of LHÍ. The group's task is to conduct a needs assessment for facilities for a flea market, map out possibilities and optimal locations in the city center, including by conducting a market survey advertising for possible options.

The actions of the Green Deal are linked to Reykjavík City's policies, which include: