Skógarsel by Þingvallavatn lake is an experimental project and first of its kind here in Iceland. It is a collaboration between Brynjahonnun, Biotonomy and other Icelandic experts in the construction industry.

Skógarsel will be located by lake Þingvallavatn where nature and animal life are unique and sensitive, forming an appropriate site for a sustainable building that sits well with the environment and disrupts as little as possible.

It is nearly impossible to build in a more sustainable way than our ancestors which used local materials in their buildings and developed the best solutions derived from these natural resources. Biotonomy seeks to utilize the knowledge which has developed over the centuries and adjusting itto our modern knowledge.

The inspiration of Skógarsels design is the Icelandic turf house which is in a convenient building form for our weather circumstances, as could be expected since the design has evolved over a long time period.

The building is in its essence thought of as a living organism which utilizes resources from the local environment for building materials and as the main energy source for the building.

Like other living organisms, it serves a certain purpose within the ecosystem and is created to serve that purpose. In the ecosystem, a perfect cycle prevails, value creation in a closed system, and the design of a building seeks to imitate that cycle. That is achieved with a holistic approach. The walls of the building will be made out of compacted soil from the land and will, therefore, absorb energy from the sun and release back to the building when its temperature drops. The water will go through several cycles in the system before being released into a demarcated vegetation area. Even the drainage from the toilet ends up as nutrition for vegetation. In the whole process the aim is to use sustainable solutions that building regulations allow.

Innovation and cooperation are a major part of the project

Material research is an important factor of the project as indoor materials are crucial to the health of buildings. Healthy buildings mean healthy living. Materials need to breathe, be free of dubious additives and they can even reduce pollution by absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere or purifying the air of VOCs ingredients. Furniture and flooring can be a part of the building's heat mass. Many things need to be considered in the process and information on the building will be shared here on the website and with the blog.