Future cities from lava
Mother Arnhildur Pálmadóttir and Arnar Skarphéðinsson at s. AP Architects show their work lava formations, or Lavaforming, in Venice, but this is the first time that Iceland has participated in the Venice Biennale in architecture. Future cities built from running lava from the earth’s inner areas are the main focus.
Arnhildur and her son Arnar are on the end of the show Hraun formations when a journalist strikes the thread to Venice. A pre -opening was on Thursday, but the show was officially opened this weekend and will be open until November. Icelanders and other guests who are traveling through Venice are not allowed to miss a look in the future world that the mothers have created along with a team s. AP architects, which consists in addition to Björg Skarphéðinsdóttir and Sukanya Mukherjee. Also in the team are Andri Snær Magnason writer and Jack Armitage musician.
Inspiration from nature
Arnar and Arnhildur get a seat in a window box inside the Icelandic pavilion in Venice and take a little rest from the installation of the show to chat with the journalist. Inside the window flows the sunlight, but the sun is starting to shine after some checkered days.
« We come here two weeks ago to set up, we show a film and then have a whole wall of screens, but on them is information, for example, on scientific research behind what we are doing. In this world in 2150, ”says Arnhildur, explaining that Andra Snæs’ stories are a kind of nostalgia stories of people as they were written by people in the year 2150 who are recalling older times, how the Eldborg was built up.
Logi Már Einarsson, the Minister of Culture, Innovation and University of Iceland, gave a speech on the opening on Thursday.
Photo/Marta Buso
« This is a nostalgia from the future for our future, » says Arnar.
« The show is really an overview of everything we have been doing in recent years. We also have material tests and they form sculpture that shows experiments with the properties of lava, how it melts and more we have done in collaboration with Lava Show in their oven in Grandi, » says Arnar.
« Basalt can be used as a building material instead of the material we use today and is very polluting, » Arnhildur adds.
« The idea came to light around 2018 when we talked about the huge amount of lava that emerged from the earth in the volcanic eruption in Holuhraun 2014-2015. Used as a building material.
Guests on the opening day watch the film that Arnar and Arnhildur did.
Photo/Marta Buso
Deputy on city planning
Would it be possible to utilize lava flow actually for construction or is this a kind of concept artwork?
« We think about it in both ways. The idea is interesting and although it does not necessarily become a real reality, it raises so many questions, for example about ownership of the material.
« The other side is really testing this in a scientific way, but we think it is possible. There are examples of housing formed from Hraun, » says Arnar.
Arnhildur is here outside the Icelandic pavilion in Venice to burn lava.
Photo/UGO Carmeni
« We also see this in nature, like Dimmuborgir; it is a place that could really be imported, » says Arnhildur, adding that technology is throwing forward and it is never known what can be done in the future. Already, lava is being steered on the Reykjanes in a certain channel with the construction of defense gardens.
« We look to the future to find a way for us to develop as a nation, » says Arnhildur, saying that the work is a controversy on the construction industry, ownership of buildings, urban planning and environment.
« But all this is fixed in certain systems that are not the community or people for the best, but there are other interests that control the journey there.
A dream that came true
The co -operation of the mothers is going well, but Arnar’s interest in architecture came to light early and he has not far to pick him up. He kept a close eye on his mom and her assignments when she was studying and a young boy and then decided to follow in her footsteps.
« I wanted to create at home, and architecture is a way to work on it, » says Arnar. He just reused an old Star Wars computer game, but instead of using buildings that were in the game, he inserted buildings from Hraunborg Eldborg and can therefore be traveling and playing the game.
« It is so important to think elsewhere, work multidisciplinary and use new technologies to provide information, » says Arnhildur, adding that by going beyond the frame and creating a kind of soldier can prevent mistakes in the construction industry and urban planning. Arnhildur says the collaboration is going very well and feels honored to work with his son.
« It’s great that he bother to be with me at all, » she says, smiling.
On the floor is a kind of sculpture that shows how to use running lava in the construction industry.
Photo/UGO Carmeni
Isn’t it a great honor for you to show architecture on the Venice Biennale, the first Icelandic architect?
« Sure, this is a dream that came true. Here the gods of a man in architecture carelessly pass by, but here all the best architects in the world are gathered. It is a great honor to be a representative of Iceland, » says Arnhildur and Arnar.
« When the idea for LavaForming, we got rid of the biennial with it, » he says.
« It is important for architecture in Iceland that architects continue to come here. It promotes creative work and ambition. We look forward to visiting Venice after two years and see other Icelandic architects as a representative on the biennial, » says Arnhildur.
