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Terraced Greenhouse Restaurant Embracing the Icelandic Landscape

Authors:
Hubert Natorff, Karthikeyan Chokkalingam Velayutham
Terraced Greenhouse Restaurant Embracing the Icelandic Landscape
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With a terraced structure that seamlessly integrates with the Icelandic landscape, the greenhouse restaurant emphasizes sustainability and enhances the dining experience through expansive views of the surrounding meadows.
5 key facts about this project
01
Terraced structure mirrors the natural hillside contours.
02
Glasshouse design optimizes energy efficiency for plant growth.
03
Restaurant interior offers diverse spaces with expansive views.
04
Modular construction enables future adaptability and expansion.
05
Focus on local food enhances the connection to the landscape.

MÝVATN GREEN TERRACES is located in Iceland and seeks to connect the built environment with the surrounding landscape. The design features a terraced structure that follows the natural shape of the hillside. The main function is a restaurant housed within a greenhouse, highlighting sustainability while immersing visitors in the beauty of Iceland’s scenery.

Design Concept

The primary idea behind MÝVATN GREEN TERRACES is to reduce environmental impact while encouraging a strong connection to nature. The terraced form allows the building to blend with the hillside, maintaining visual continuity with its surroundings. By placing the restaurant inside a glasshouse, the design fosters a close relationship between the dining experience and the natural landscape, allowing guests to enjoy vibrant greenery as they eat.

Modular Approach

This project takes a modular design approach, which means it uses standard elements that can easily be expanded in the future. This flexibility is important for adapting to changing needs while remaining focused on ecological principles. The use of established greenhouse designs enhances efficiency and reliability, ensuring that functionality and aesthetics work together.

Spatial Experience

The interior of the restaurant offers a range of spaces that enhance the dining experience, providing various views of the terraced fields. The arrangement encourages guests to engage with the landscape outside. Natural light streams into the greenhouse, enriching the atmosphere and making the space feel bright and inviting.

Technical Overview

The design is supported by comprehensive architectural plans that include long sections, floor layouts, and faҫades. These details illustrate the careful choices made to balance practicality with visual appeal. Axonometric views clarify how the building fits within its site, showing the thoughtful integration with the landscape.

Light and shadow play a significant role within the glasshouse, creating an environment where the changing natural conditions enhance the experience of both the food and the views outside.

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Vancouver Tall Challenge: Building Higher Downtown

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Competition organisers

The Vancouver Tall Challenge: Building Higher Downtown is an international architecture competition organized by Buildner in collaboration with the City of Vancouver and the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA). The competition invites architects, designers, planners, and creative thinkers to explore innovative approaches to tall buildings in Vancouver’s downtown core, focusing on sustainability, livability, urban density, public space, and the city’s strong connection to nature. As Vancouver continues to grow, participants are challenged to rethink how vertical development can enhance urban life and contribute to a more vibrant, inclusive, and resilient city identity.

The competition offers a total prize fund of $15,000 CAD, with winning proposals selected by an international jury of architects, planners, academics, and city-building professionals. Key dates include the final registration deadline on October 29, 2026, submission deadline on November 30, 2026, and winners announcement on January 26, 2027. Full competition details, requirements, and registration information are available at architecturecompetitions.com/VancouverTallChallenge

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