Harpa is a concert hall and conference centre on the Reykjavik waterfront. Its opening concert was held on 4 May 2011. It is known for a coloured glass facade that appears to change colour as the light shifts.
What and where Harpa is
Harpa is a concert hall and conference centre on the Reykjavik waterfront. The building sits by the water in the city, and it functions as both a performance venue and a conference centre. In practical terms, that means Harpa is used for concerts as well as larger indoor events.
When it opened
Its opening concert was held on 4 May 2011. That date marks the public opening of the building as a working venue in Reykjavik.
The architects and artist behind it
Harpa was designed by the Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects together with the Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson. The design combines the work of an architecture firm with an artist closely associated with the building's visual identity.
Harpa also won the Mies van der Rohe Award for European architecture in 2013.
The colour-changing glass facade
Its most striking feature is a coloured glass facade inspired by Iceland's basalt landscape. The facade is a steel framework clad with geometric glass panels that appear to change colour as the light shifts.
This outer skin is the part of the building many people notice first. The changing appearance comes from the way light interacts with the geometric glass panels across the steel framework.
Visiting Harpa in Reykjavik
Harpa sits on the waterfront a short walk from the Old Harbour and the Sun Voyager sculpture, so it fits easily into a stroll along the seafront whether or not you attend a performance. For live event details, use the venue's official sources. If you want to compare options in the city, see Reykjavik tours.
Prepare your kit
The Iceland Packing List can help you pack for the weather and the time outdoors involved in Harpa Concert Hall Reykjavik: What to Know.
