About Sundhöll Reykjavík Pool

Architect

Guðjón Samúelsson. VA arkitektar designed the extension.

Year of construction

1929–1937

Building history

Knud Zimsen, town engineer in 1902, mentions in his memoir that he made a proposal for the construction of an indoor swimming pool in Reykjavík, but the proposal did not get support from the town council of Reykjavík.

In 1927, Jonas from Hrifla brought up the idea that the Treasury should contribute 50,000 kr. to build to an indoor pool on the condition that the town council would contribute an equal amount. The motion was not adopted.

In 1928, the Government presented a bill to construct an indoor pool, Sundhöll Pool, in Reykjavík. According to the bill, the State would contribute 100,000 kr. and the city should contribute an equal amount plus the land.

The first suggestion of Guðjón Samúelsson was to have the building in the style of an Icelandic turf farmhouse. The pool was supposed to be in three parts, one pool was supposed to be for children, a larger one should be for athletes, and the third one was supposed to be filled with ocean water. Guðjón’s first suggestion was not followed but, in 1929, construction began on the Sundhöll building we have today. No construction happened for several years due to lack of funds. The Sundhöll Pool finally opened on March 23, 1937.

Building size:	2,661 m2	Volume:	9,590 m3
Lot size:	5,250 m2	No. of parking spaces:	30

Extension

The new extension of Sundhöllin opened on December 3, 2017. The design prioritized complementing the original building while creating a cohesive whole. The new outdoor pool area is one level lower than Barónsstígur, where visitors enter through the new extension's reception. This design preserves and showcases the main building's south side from the street. The extension houses new women's changing rooms, while the men's facilities in the older building were renovated. A new lifeguard station in the extension overlooks the new pool area.

Main pool - Inside

Length: 25 m, width: 10 m	Max depth: 4 m	Temperature: 29°C
Surface area: 250 m2	Total water quantity: 780 m3

Indoor children’s pool

Length: 7.2 m, width: 10 m	Max depth: 1.10 m
Surface area: 72 m2	Temperature: 30°C

Outdoor Pool

Length: 25 m, width: 10 m	Max depth: 1.80 m	Min depth: 0.90 m
Surface area: 250 m3	Temperature 29°C

Wading pool

The outdoor area features a wading pool and a mushroom fountain.

Length 12.5 m x 11.2
Surface area: 140 m3	Temperature 38°C

Hot tubs

Upstairs whirlpool bath	Temperature: 39°C	16.7 m2 | 17.6 m3
Upstairs hot tub	Temperature: 42°C	10.4 m2 | 10.9 m3
Outside whirlpool bath	Temperature 40°C

Cold tub

A round cold tub is located near the outdoor steam room.

Temperature: +/- 10°C

Steam room

Steam room

Common to men and women

Sauna

Sauna

Common to men and women

Outdoor changing rooms

Two outdoor changing rooms with showers are available by the outdoor pool.

Playground equipment

The pool has two diving boards. The lower is 1.0 m above the water surface, the higher is 2.75 m above the water surface.

Directors since opening

Ólafur Þorvarðarson 1937-1942
Sigríður Sigurjónsdóttir 1942-1945
Þorgeir Sveinbjarnarson 1945-1971
Hermann Hermannsson 1971-1975
Ingibjörg Sigurgeirsdóttir and Lilja Kristjánsdóttir 1975-1983
Kristján Ögmundsson 1983-1986
Stefán Kjartansson 1986-1993
Bjarni Kjartansson 1993-1998
Björg Snjólfsdóttir 1998-1999
Gísli Jensson 1999-2005
Óttarr Hrafnkellsson 2005-2005
Katrín Lovísa Irvin 2005-2010
Gísli Jensson 2010-2014
Logi Sigurfinnsson 2014-2019
Sigurður Víðisson 2019-2021
Drífa Magnúsdóttir 2021-2024
Snorri Örn Arnaldsson 2024-