VALHALLA ODYSSEY
12 | 24
COMPETITION, finalist
TEAM: lcc.collective
[”Volcano Horsemen Retreat” by Young Architecture Competion] The project reinterprets Hrossaborg as a refuge that reconnects the primordial Icelandic landscape with the intimacy of the encampment, centered around its most symbolic domestic element: the hearth. Conceived as a welcoming stronghold for travelers crossing the vast and desolate terrain, the architecture guides visitors along a path that becomes progressively more intimate.The journey begins with the large stable, the first visible structure at the crater’s edge, which orients pilgrims toward the heart of the volcano. The theme of the threshold shapes the entire project, articulated in three moments — arrival, crossing, and rest. After parting from their horses, travelers pass through a deliberate boundary, restoring the perception of the crater as a complete natural enclosure. A raised walkway then leads them into a sheltered communal core.At the center lies an open courtyard with a sunken hearth, the main gathering space and symbolic heart of the project. From here, the path continues outward toward a constellation of private cabins, each associated with smaller hearths, culminating in a final bonfire at the crater’s summit. The architecture expresses two complementary approaches: public buildings defined by sharp, carved geometries emerging from a solid base, and a village of simple hut-like cabins that evoke archetypal forms. Together, they transform Hrossaborg into a cradle-like landscape of shelter, encounter, and contemplation.
Project site
StrategyMasterplan
Village PlanPlan double cabin
Elevation double cabin
Section double cabin
Double Cabin
Plan single cabinElevation single cabinSection single cabin
Single Cabin
Plan main square
Elevation main square
Section main square
Main square
Plan horse stable
Elevation horse stable
Section horse stable
Horse stable
General Elevation