Ráðhús Reykjavíkur

Reykjavík had discussed building a city hall since 1799, but it took a 1986 open competition — drawing 38 proposals — to finally settle a design, awarded to Margrét Harðardóttir and Steve Christer, both recent graduates of London's Architectural Association School. Built from 1988 and inaugurated on 14 April 1992, the two connected buildings sit directly on the edge of Tjörnin pond, built from light-coloured concrete, stone and moss-covered walls conceived as an 'interface' between the city and its natural surroundings — walkways extend out over the water itself.