Restoration of Laugardalslaug Pool
At the meeting of City Council on May 6, 2021, the mayor’s draft memorandum was approved to start the preparation of a design competition for the restoration of the Laugardalslaug Pool and related structures.
A design competition will be held in partnership with the Architects Association of Iceland. On the basis of the competition, a proposal and ideas for continued design and implementation will be selected.
Main tasks
A instructional group was organized afterwards and its main tasks were:
- Create instructions and prepare a design competition
- Definition of competition specifications and presentation of promotional materials
- Stakeholder analysis
- Risk analysis
Task force members
- Ósk Soffía Valtýsdóttir, Chair, Department of Environment & Planning
- Kristjana Ósk Birgisdóttir, Department of Environment & Planning
- Jón Valgeir Björnsson, Property Office
- Pálína Magnúsdóttir, Department of Culture & Tourism
- Steinþór Einarsson, Department of Sports & Leisure
- Sólveig Valgeirsdóttir, Department of Sports & Leisure
Task force employee/project manager:
- Pála Minný Ríkharðsdóttir, Department of Environment & Planning
Task force consultants
- Árni Jónsson, Director of Laugardalslaug Pool
- Guðrún Lilja Gunnlaugsdóttir, Head of the Department for Dissemination & Innovation at the City Library
- Pétur H. Ármannsson, Architect and Department Head at the Cultural Heritage Agency of Iceland
- Sigurlaug Anna Jóhannsdóttir, Human Rights & Democracy Office
Laugardalslaug Pool
Swimming and bathing is believed to have been frequented for hundreds of years in Laugardalur Valley. A bathing pool is reported to the south of Laugarnes in 1772. Swimming lessons began in 1824, albeit exclusively for boys. In 1907-1908, the Reykjavík town council commissioned a pool made from stone, and it is probably the first sports facility built by the town. Since then swimming has been practiced in Laugardalur Valley.
