Library: Initiatives

Urriðaholt (Urridaholt) sustainable neighbourhood

Initiative

Urriðaholt (Urridaholt) sustainable neighbourhood

About

In Iceland, land is comparatively cheap and plentiful. This has fueled urban sprawl and low-density residential suburbs where distances become too far to walk, pavements disappear, and bus routes become unviable.One objective was to show how this trend could be reversed, using Urriðaholt as a model, and recalling the walkable character of the central core of downtown Reykjavík. The aim was to create a compact and diverse mixed-use, walkable neighborhood, with local amenities and opportunities to run good public transport. Integrated with sustainable urban design strategies, this will enhance the well-being of the people that will be living and working in Urriðaholt in the future.

SDG

Region

IS00 - Ísland

Country

Iceland

Status/Progress/Experience

Urridaholt has received international awards and certification:• Recipient of the 2007 citation from the Urban Design Committee of the Boston Society of Architects• International Award for Livable Communities (LivCom), silver level, category “Environmentally Sustainable Projects”• First international project to achieve a certification under BREEAM Communities 2012, and the first urban master plan in Iceland to receive a BREEAM Communities certification. The local plan for the North side phase 2 is the first phase to achieve a final certification - with a "Very Good" rating.