ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION

ICELAND
VOLCANO
MUSEUM
COMPETITION CONDITIONS
CONTENTS

3 INTRODUCTION
4 ICELAND
5 ICELAND’S CULTURE
6 ICELAND’S GEOGRAPHY
Bee Breeders Architecture Competition Organisers,
7 MYVATN have prepared this document for the
ICELAND VOLCANO MUSEUM
architecture competition.
12 THE COMPETITION:
Full Competition Terms & Conditions:
ICELAND VOLCANO MUSEUM ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.beebreeders.com/terms

13 BUILDING PROGRAMME © Bee Breeders

Architecture Competition Organisers
14 THE COMPETITION SITE hello@beebreeders.com
beebreeders.com
18 PRIZES
19 COMPETITION SCHEDULE
19 REGISTRATION FEES
20 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
20 REQUIRED SUBMISSION CONTENT
20 PRESENTATION DELIVERABLES SET
21 JURY & EVALUATION PROCESS
22 ELIGIBILITY
22 COMPETITION DOCUMENTATION
22 MEDIA PARTNERS
22 ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS
 INTRODUCTION
The Iceland Volcano Museum is the third in Bee
Breeders' Iceland architecture competition series and
tasks participants with designing a multipurpose
structure near the Hverfjall Volcano.

3
ICELAND
Iceland is a small Nordic island country situated
between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. With
a population of less than 333,000, it is the most
sparsely populated country in Europe, with the
majority of that population living in the capital
Reykjavik and the surrounding areas.

Iceland was first settled on in the year 874 AD, when

Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the first
permanent settler on the island. In the centuries to
come, many more Norwegian settlers followed, as well
as settlers from a few other Scandinavian countries.
Iceland was under Norwegian and Danish rule from
1262 to 1814, and finally became a republic in 1944.

Iceland has comparatively low taxes and yet maintains

a Nordic social welfare system, which provides
universal health care and tertiary education for its
citizens. Iceland runs almost entirely on renewable
energy, and its main industries are fishing, agriculture
and tourism.

4
Northern lights in Thórsmörk, Iceland; Image courtesy of Jonatan Pie https://unsplash.com/
 ICELAND'S CULTURE
Centuries of isolation have helped make Icelandic
culture distinct from other Scandinavian countries,
even though Icelandic culture is founded upon the
nation’s Scandinavian heritage. A prominent example
of this is the Icelandic language, which remains the
closest to Old Norse of all the Scandinavian
languages. Since most Icelanders are descendants of
Germanic and Gaelic settlers, Icelandic is a North
Germanic language which is also closely related to
Faroese and West Norwegian dialects.

Iceland’s cultural heritage includes classical works of

literature such as the Icelanders’ sagas which are
medieval sagas set in Iceland’s age of settlement. The
most famous of which includes Njáls saga, about an
epic blood feud, and Grænlendinga saga and Eiríks
saga, describing the discovery and settlement of
Greenland and Vinland (modern Newfoundland).

5
Town of Vik i Myrdal in Iceland in summer. The village of Vik is the southernmost village in Iceland on the ring road around 180 km southeast of Reykjavík;
Image courtesy of Andrii Ganzevych
Blue Planet Studiohttps://unsplash.com/
https://www.shutterstock.com
ICELAND'S
GEOGRAPHY
Iceland’s geography is both varied and extraordinary.
The island is volcanically and geologically active, and
the entire country is 103,000 km2 in size, of which
62.7% is tundra. Iceland’s coastline is punctuated with
many fjords, around which most of the country’s
settlements are situated. The interior of Iceland is cold
and uninhabitable, consisting of a combination of sand
and lava fields, mountains and glaciers, with many
glacial rivers flowing to the sea through the lowlands
on the exterior of the island.

Despite being just outside the Arctic Circle, Iceland

has a temperate climate, as it is warmed by the Gulf
Stream. Being closer to continental Europe than it is to
mainland North America, Iceland is considered part of
Europe, despite its closest land mass actually being
Greenland. Geologically, Iceland is situated on the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a ridge along which the oceanic
crust spreads and forms new oceanic crust. Iceland
was created by rifting and accretion through volcanism
along the ridge.

6
Mountain of Vestrahorn as seen from Stokksnes, Iceland; Image courtesy of Cyrill Hänni https://unsplash.com/
MYVATN - THE
NORTHERN LIGHTS
CAPITAL OF ICELAND

Mývatn is the spectacular region in the north of Iceland

that is home to some of the country’s most
awe-inspiring natural wonders, and is considered the
Northern Lights Capital of Iceland. The lake region is
home to Iceland's fourth largest body of water, Lake
Mývatn, which is 36.5 square kilometres in size and is
home to a wealth of natural wonders and wildlife.

Making up part of the Diamond Circle - a popular

travel route in the north of Iceland - Lake Mývatn and
the surrounding region are an idyllic location to go
birdwatching, fishing, relax in the natural hot springs
and explore the eerily beautiful lava fortress of
Dimmuborgir. Of course one of the most spectacular
sights to see are the Northern Lights themselves,
which are spotted more often in the northern region of
Iceland.

The Iceland Volcano Museum, when completed, will

feature the local Mývatn attractions in their exhibitions,
and will function as a local tourism expo throughout
the year.

More information here - https://www.visitmyvatn.is

7
MYVATN:
• NORTHERN
LIGHTS
There are many legends and stories that surround the
Northern Lights, some claiming them to be the
glimmer off the shields of the mythical Valkyries
themselves, or the rainbow bridge that led souls to
Valhalla, or the Finnish tale of a fox that ran across the
snow so quickly that his tail caused sparks to fly into
the night sky.

While the idea of a “Fire Fox” is entertaining, we now

know that the swirling spectacle of green, purple, pink
and red lights is caused when particles in the Earth’s
atmosphere collide with charged particles from the
sun’s atmosphere. Though there is never a 100%
guarantee of seeing the Lights, the odds are much
higher in darker regions such as Mývatn, compared to
a city like Reykjavik.

8
MYVATN:
• HVERFJALL
The Hverfjall volcano is one of Iceland’s most beautiful,
with a large, circular explosion crater that is roughly
140 meters deep and 1,000 meters wide. This makes
it one of the largest explosion craters in the world, and
an impressive site for visitors and tourists to behold.

The crater was created during a volcanic explosion

around 2800 - 2900 years ago, with a landslide on the
southern side of the crater occurring years later,
accounting for the disruption in the round shape of the
mountain. During the Age of Settlement, Hverfjall was
nearly engulfed in lava flowing from Svortuborgir, at the
southern end of Namafjall.

There are currently on two paths that access the rim of

the crater, one from the northwest and one from the
south, with all other routes strictly forbidden for safety
reasons.

9
Aerial view of Hverfjall crater; Image courtesy of Worldclassphoto https://www.shutterstock.com
MYVATN:
• YULE LADS
The Yule Lads are creatures from Icelandic folklore,
taking on the role of mischievous pranksters that live in
the Dark Fortress of Dimmuborgir in Mývatn. Said to
be the sons of a murderous troll, the Yule Lads have a
strong connection with the traditions of Icelandic
Christmas, as the name implies. They are the ones
responsible for leaving small gifts in the shoes that
good children have placed on window sills, and
leaving potatoes for those that misbehave.

Their mythical home of Dimmuborgir is an eerie

collection of extraordinary lava cliffs and pillars caused
by lava ponds that twist and form dark, stone
structures.

10
MYVATN:
• MYVATN NATURE
BATHS

The Mývatn Nature Baths are one of the region’s most

popular tourist attractions, allowing visitors to
experience this centuries-old tradition of bathing in
natural hot springs. Guests can experience a relaxing
steam that comes from naturally-occurring fissures
deep within the earth’s surface, and then wade in the
warming geothermal water drawn from 2500 metres
below.

The spa waters contain a unique blend of minerals,

silicates and geothermal micro-organisms which do
wonders for the skin and the spirit alike.

11
THE COMPETITION:
ICELAND VOLCANO
MUSEUM
For the Iceland Volcano Museum competition,
participants are tasked with designing a multi-purpose
space, the main function of which will be as an exhibition
hall. The exhibition hall should be able to host several
(3-4) different installations at the same time. Each
installation will be temporary and therefore the hall needs
to provide a certain amount of flexibility in terms of
arrangement.

In addition to the multipurpose exhibition hall, submitted

designs will need to include an office complex that would
provide 15-20 workspaces for the client to use. The
office zone would need to have 2 entrances - one for the
public (with reception area) and one private entrance for
office employees. The office layout would need to provide
10 closed private rooms that could accommodate 10
occupants. Additionally, designs would need to include 2
larger open plan office spaces for the remaining full-time
and short-term employees, as well as 2 meeting rooms.

The space would also need to include a café that could

cater for 30-40 people, as well as a small information
centre. The complex is expecting to receive up to 500,
000 visitors annually.

The entire complex should not exceed 3 storeys in

height. Underground construction is allowed and there is
no maximum building footprint defined.

The jury will be looking for designs that meet these

practical needs and respect the unique and sensitive
context while at the same time have the potential to
become an iconic tourist attraction in their own right.

12
BUILDING PROGRAMME
MULTIPURPOSE EXHIBITION HALL
300-400 sqm

OFFICES
• Reception
1 workspace for receptionist
• 10 private offices
• 2 open plan coworking spaces
15 workspaces in total
• 2 meeting rooms

CAFE (+ kitchen)
Capacity to host 30-40 people

INFORMATION CENTRE/POINT
Easily accessible Myvatn tourism
information distribution point/desk
for visitors

CAR PARK
• 100 cars
• 10 buses

SERVICE AREAS

Internal and external circulation spaces must be

explained. The BUILDING PROGRAMME is flexible,
open for modifications and improved development
strategies

13
Soaring above Hverfjall volcano, Myvatn, Iceland; Image courtesy of Francesco Conti https://www.shutterstock.com
THE COMPETITION SITE
The competition site is located in northern Iceland, just
east of Lake Myvatn. The area is entirely clear flatland,
with no trees or other obstructions impacting
construction.

The entire complex should not exceed 3 storeys in

height. Underground construction is allowed and there
is no maximum building footprint defined. COMPETITION SITE

SITE COORDINATES:
@65.6384028,-16.8956736

SITE CAD AND PDF PLAN ARE AVAILABLE

FOR DOWNLOAD AT
ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.BEEBREEDERS.COM

14
 COMPETITION SITE

Myvatn Lake Myvatn Nature Baths

Hverfjall

Dimmuborgir Lava Fields 15

 COMPETITION SITE

100
SITE CAD AND PDF PLAN ARE AVAILABLE

20
40
60
80
FOR DOWNLOAD AT N^
ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.BEEBREEDERS.COM

16
 COMPETITION SITE

SITE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE AVAILABLE

FOR DOWNLOAD AT
ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.BEEBREEDERS.COM
17
PRIZES
3 winning proposals and 6 honourable mentions will be selected. Bee Breeders will award a total
of US $6,000 in prize money to competition winners as follows:

PUBLICATIONS:
Prize money The winners will get international art and design media
US $6,000 coverage and will be featured on the Bee Breeders
website.

A full list of media partners who have committed to

1st Prize BB Student Award
present the competition winners in their publications
US $3,000 US $500 can be found at
ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.beebreeders.com

2nd Prize BB Green Award

US $1,500 US $500 CERTIFICATE:

Bee Breeders will acknowledge the
outstanding performance of all winners
3rd Prize + 6 HONOURABLE MENTIONS and honourable mentions with

US $500
Certificates of Achievement.

More information about the special awards at

ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.beebreeders.com

18
COMPETITION REGISTRATION
SCHEDULE FEES
Architects, designers,
enthusiasts and
Early Bird Registration companies Students*

MAY 29 - JUNE 28
Early Bird Registration US $90 US $70

Advance Registration Advance Registration US $120 US $100

JUNE 29 - AUGUST 2

Last Minute Registration US $140 US $120

Last Minute Registration
AUGUST 3 - NOVEMBER 1 * See requirements here:
beebreeders.com/competition-registration-types

Closing date for registration

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

Closing date for submission

NOVEMBER 29, 2019 (11:59pm GMT)

Announcement of the winners

DECEMBER 18, 2019

19
SUBMISSION
REQUIREMENTS
• Participants are required to upload four (4) A2
landscape-orientated presentation boards
(must not exceed 5mb per jpg) with sketches,
renderings, plans, sections, elevations,
diagrams, and/or other presentation tools to
explain their proposal.
• No video files are accepted.
• All information provided in writing must be in
English.
• All submissions must be uploaded via the
beebreeders.com upload panel. Access
information and instructions on how to upload
the presentation panel will be issued to
participants via email immediately after
successful registration.
• Presentation boards must not indicate any
information related to individual's/team's
identity.
Participants who do not comply with the requirements
will be disqualified without refund.
PRESENTATION RECOMMENDED
DELIVERABLES SET SUBMISSION CONTENT
• Context plan; (suggested scale 1:500 or • Visualisations and artist impressions to
1:1000) illustrate how the proposal fits in with the
• Elevations; (suggested scale 1:50) quality, value, and significance of the building
context.
• Primary sections; (suggested scale 1:50)
• Concept designs, which highlight that all
• Primary floor plans; (suggested scale 1:50)
aspects of the design are of the highest quality
• Enlarged sections and elevations highlighting and keep with the design brief and the
key spaces or relationships; (suggested scale proposed site.
1:10)
• The main points of proposed plans and
• Details: (suggested scale 1:5) sections and multiple perspectives
• Envelope demonstrate the spatial quality of the structure,
• Key materials as well as operational needs and accessibility
• Site or landscape requirements.
• Axonometrics providing information on building • Demonstration of project feasibility in regards
systems or illustrating key architectural to environment, climate conditions, lifecycle,
concepts; and responsible use of materials.
• Diagrams: • Demonstration of project construction,
• Circulation materials, functions, management and
• Public versus private space maintenance; approach to environment and
• Lighting sustainability.
• Landscaping
• Transportation
• Energy systems
• Perspectives:
• Primary interior spaces
• Primary site locations
Please note the PRESENTATION DELIVERABLES SET listed
above is a suggestion only. Participants can choose to use
the entire list, a selection from it, or propose a completely
different set that would explain their design in the most
efficient manner.
20
JURY & EVALUATION PROCESS
Competition jury consists of two jury panels: Participants are advised to research both the working site and previous similar case
• Core jury panel studies as part of the design process.

• Consultative jury panel “ICELAND VOLCANO MUSEUM” is a competition, which encourages participants to
experiment with the limits of architecture. The jury may choose to reward projects
Full jury panel members list is published at that show a high degree of creativity, even if they breach any of the rules, as long as
ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.beebreeders.com. it’s justified.

The core and consultative jury panel will be responsible for setting the criteria that
participants need to fulfill based on the site and brief and will evaluate each
submission accordingly.

Selecting Top 3 winners: Student Award: Green Award:

1 Consultative jury panel will produce a shortlist 1 Consultative jury panel will produce a shortlist 1 Consultative jury panel will produce a shortlist
of 40 from all submitted entries. of 40 from all submitted student entries. of 40 from all submitted entries.

2 Consultative jury panel will select 9 2 Consultative jury panel will select 9 2 Consultative jury panel will select 9
competition finalists from the shortlist. competition finalists from the shortlist. competition finalists from the shortlist.

3 Core jury panel will evaluate the 9 finalists and 3 Core jury panel will evaluate the 9 finalists and 3 Core jury panel will evaluate the 9 finalists and
select the top 3 winning projects and 6 select the winning project. select the winning project.
honourable mentions.

21
COMPETITION
DOCUMENTATION
The following information is available for download at
ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.beebreeders.com:
• Full competition brief
• CAD and PDF site plan
• Site photographs
All information can be downloaded as often as
required; no additional information or material will be
provided after registration.
The brief and all associated documentation for this
competition are for the sole purpose of an academic
exercise and are not legal documents.
The provided materials, or alternatives, can be used,
created, or sourced at the participant's discretion.
Full Competition Terms & Conditions:
ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.beebreeders.com/terms
MEDIA
PARTNERS
A full list of media partners who have committed to
present the competition winners in their publications
can be found at
ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.beebreeders.com
For potential media partners who are also interested in
covering the present competition and its winners,
please contact us at hello@beebreeders.com
Competition press kit (in English) and banners are
available at
ICELANDVOLCANOMUSEUM.beebreeders.com/press
ELIGIBILITY
The competition is open to all. No professional
qualification is required. Design proposals can be
developed individually or by teams (4 team members
maximum).
People who have direct personal or professional
relationships with jury panel members or organisers
may not participate in this competition.
© Bee Breeders
Architecture Competition Organisers
ARCHITECTURE
STUDENTS
Bee Breeders architecture competition organisers
would like to hear from representatives of universities,
schools, and colleges offering architecture/design
studies.
Contact us to receive special student rates for group
registration (discount applies for 3+ registrations from
one university/school) as well as further information
and support to get your students involved in
architecture competitions.
Send us a request from your university email address
along with basic information about you and your
university/school.
Please note that only recognized university staff can
apply for the reduced student rate.
hello@beebreeders.com
Beebreeders.com