A {tag:studenci} from the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk also designed a tourist shelter in Iceland, which could stand by the Krossneslaug geothermal pool located in the northern part of the island. In addition to the object made of oak wood, the author proposed a new pool with a jacuzzi where one can relax while observing nature.
The presented project was created in the Interior Design Studio II under the direction of Prof. Remigiusz Grochal and Benjamin Straszewski at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk. The goal of the assignment was to design a new tourist shelter in Iceland near the hot springs. Such a design challenge was also taken up by Weronika Mach, who proposed four tourist facilities on the trail leading to the hot springs in the Reykjadalur valley.
The author designed a new infinity pool
© Julia Przyłucka
hot springs overlooking the ocean
There are naturally hot springs near Krossneslaug, and the pool itself is called the edge pool - because of its location, right next to the sea. While swimming in it, you can observe wildlife - seals, dolphins and waterfowl. The nearest villages are more than a hundred kilometers from the site, and it takes two hours by car to reach them. There is already a tourist facility/shelter at the pool, but it does not meet all the needs of visitors to Krossnes.
The building was made of treated oak planks
© Julia Przyłucka
shelter for tourists
I believe that in addition to sanitary facilities, such a place should be provided with accommodation space. It seems that the swimming pool was not properly inscribed in the area, there was a lack of communication between the shelter and the ocean. Visitors complained about the remote location of the parking lot, but should a parking lot be created in such a place and the area be built up with natural but foreign materials? I believe that providing shelter for people is the most important point, for the reason that the road to Krossnes from any major village is very long. The car can be left far away from the place where we relax surrounded by nature. The best place to leave the car is the existing solution. I designed the new chalet to meet basic human needs and to provide opportunities for rest and recuperation in the hot spring. The location of the facility is appropriately matched to the surroundings. I wanted people spending time at the spring to be able to see the beautiful and atmospheric scenery of Iceland right after waking up," says the author.
shelter design, plan and cross-section
© Julia Przyłucka
new facility
The complex proposed by Julia Przylucka is stocked with a sleeping area consisting of four beds, a locker for private belongings or for a backpack and shelves above the beds. The author also designed a changing room with the possibility of leaving one's belongings in a specially designated area, and a toilet, which is available to all people using the pool. There is also a kitchen-dining area stocked with a table with four seats, a worktop with access to water, kitchen cabinets, a gas hob and a goat-type stove.
The interior has been arranged in a minimalist manner
© Julia Przyłucka
natural materials
The main material used by the author for the construction of the chalet grate and interior design is oak wood. The floor and walls are covered with wood panels, creating a cozy atmosphere. In addition to wood, the designer chose concrete stained with volcanic dust, metal to add shine to the accessories - a ladder by the bed and bedside lamps. Granite stone slabs were used in the kitchen area, and the author also used them for the walkway leading to the pool and ocean.
A cross-section of the project and a section of the construction
© Julia Przyłucka
infinity pool
The most important aspect of the design is the hot springs that feed the pool with a Jacuzzi. A student of the Academy of Fine Arts proposed an infinity pool, in which two edges are hidden and create the impression of boundlessness. Below the overflow wall of such a pool, a trough is mounted, from which water is drawn and directed to the filtration system, which greatly affects the visual aspect of the facility. The dimensions of the basin are 6 by 14 meters.
The pool also includes a jacuzzi
© Julia Przyłucka
Overcoming the stairs to the pool, we plunge to a height of fifty centimeters. The facility is designed so that children can use it. After walking about three meters, we encounter a drop, the water in the second part reaches one and a half meters high. In the right corner there is a jacuzzi, from which water enters the pool in an overflow manner. I think that the proposed solutions will meet the requirements and make a visit to Krossneslaug an unforgettable experience," the author concludes.
