Comment period for Birkimelur 1 extended
The deadline to submit comments on Birkimelur 1 has been extended to Sept. 2, 2025.
Diverse development in Vesturbær
Vesturbær features diverse development and architecture – from small multi-family residences to semi-detached houses, single-family houses, and apartment blocks. The district also includes buildings with distinctive character: Melaskóli, Háskólabíó, Neskirkja, Hotel Saga and the National Library. The residential development at Birkimelur 1 will fit well into this setting, with careful attention to proportions, connection to the streetscape, and overall quality, both at ground level and on the upper residential floors.
Changes to the lot at Birkimelur 1
The proposed changes to the lot at Birkimelur, which can be found on the Urban Planning Portal, involve changing the lot's use from commercial to residential, while maintaining commercial services in the southwest section of the ground floor. The building volume also increases to match the expanded scope and size of the new construction on the lot. According to the land use of the current Reykjavík Municipal Plan 2040, the lot is in a designated central area that allows broader permissions than the previous municipal plan, on which the current land-use plan is based.
The contractors are Reir verk, and the building is being designed by Nordic Office of Architecture in Iceland. The design emphasizes diverse types of residential units in accordance with requirements set by Reykjavík City, including that about one-fifth of the units should be for university students, renters, seniors or right-of-occupancy holders.
The lot is centrally located, close to public transportation, and the planned CityLine station will be located on Suðurgata, specifically between Edda and the National Library. The building will include 42 residential units of varying sizes, contributing to a diverse mix of homes and household types. About 100 bicycle parking spaces will be on the grounds, with 84 inside the building.
The lot's planning emphasizes a car-free lifestyle, with provisions for accessible parking spaces and car-sharing spots on the grounds, along with some resident parking as space allows. A transportation assessment found no shortage of parking spaces on municipal land in the area.
Website about Birkimelur 1
As the comment period is extended, Reykjavík City considers it important to encourage people to review the proposal thoroughly on the websites Birkimelur.is and skipulagsgatt.is, where comments can be submitted through Sept. 2, 2025. After the deadline, all comments will be reviewed and evaluated, and each will receive a formal response. This proposal aligns well with the planned transformation of the University of Iceland campus, which aims to draw activity from the surrounding neighborhood into and through the area, particularly in connection with the planned ring garden.
As previously mentioned, the lot is located in a central area according to the current Municipal Plan 2040 land use, which grants broad authority for the planned development. It should be noted that residential housing already exists on the edges of the university campus in the form of student housing and student family housing. University students will likely live in some of the units. The design of the residential building maintains visual balance to match the overall character of the street.