BioBuilding
Grimsnes, South Iceland
A brainchild of lúdika, the BioBuilding project is an ongoing multifaceted undertaking combining research, experimentation and collaboration with the wider aim of introducing an alternative way of building in Iceland. As a first step we have set out to design and build a first of its kind prototype to test and demonstrate the viability of building with hempcrete in Iceland. The project was made possible by a number of grants received from public and private innovation funds.
The prototype was inspired by the Japanese teahouse concept, befitting a small building at one with nature. We broke ground in May 2023 and had the building ready for winter by fall of the same year. It seemed only appropriate to call on help from journeymen craftsmen, the Wandergesellen, to build the little house. Together with these young men and all their knowledge, skills, ingenuity and good humour we made the project a reality.
The house was constructed out of Icelandic materials as much as possible including the structural frame, cladding and seaweed screens. Final finishing and fitout works will take place in spring 2024, with monitoring equipment installed over a year’s period to measure and document the building methodology's real life performance.
Structural design by Mannvit.
Construction by Bastian, Georg, Elias, Mattis FFB and lúdika with assistance from Hampfirma.
Seaweed screens collaboration with Alberte Bojesen, joinery by Bastian FFB.
Kastljós RÚV feature on the project - October 2022
Kastljós RÚV feature on the project - December 2023
Iðan education centre - Byggt úr hampsteypu á Íslandi
Nýsköpun í mannvirkjagerð - Iceland innovation week 2023
Teahouse seaweed screens permutations
Excerpt from The concrete island: transmission short film from BioBuilding DesignMarch 2023 exhibition
