Icelandic/Danish architects KRADS complete the American inspired Stöðin panaromic drive-in

Date
9 July 2012

For 65 years, Iceland played host to a large American army base and it’s this cultural influence that has influenced the Stöðin roadside stop, designed by Icelandic and Danish architects, KRADS.

Using iconic streamlined elements of classic diners and the American motor culture, the building also has a permanence at odds with the transitory nature of such places as it stands in typical Icelandic concrete form. Of their approach to such a project, the firm say they are “pragmatic”, aesthetically following from a “careful reading of the particular parameters that define a project’s functional, cultural and geographical framework.”

Above

KRADS: Stöðin. Photography by Kristinn Magnússon

The semi-circular, conjoined restaurant, drive-through, store and petrol station (for Skeljungur, the Icelandic branch of Shell) is in the most eyewateringly beautiful location which, of course, is impossible ignore and so huge panoramic windows capitalise on the prospect of its fjord Borgarfjörður spot.

As an encouragingly interdisciplinary and collaborative architecture firm – they worked with aok-design on the interior -as well as being remarkably young, so KRADS are well placed to enforce integrity in the materials and the longterm sensitivity of such structures in a landscape that demands quality and respect for years to come.

Above

KRADS: Stöðin

Above

KRADS: Stöðin. Photography by Kristinn Magnússon

Above

KRADS: Stöðin. Photography by Kristinn Magnússon

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Bryony Quinn

Bryony was It’s Nice That’s first ever intern and worked her way up to assistant online editor before moving on to pursue other interests in the summer of 2012.

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