Ice House by Minarc

Minimalism in architecture, as propounded by the design firm Minarc, is no longer restricted to the constructed forms within a building, but also encompasses the ease with which the fabricated interacts with the natural. Ice House in Reykjavik, Iceland illustrates this new attitude through its adaptation of the rural countryside into the home. The simple, box form of the living space is clad in a locally-sourced wood, and the large panels of glazing open one end of the room to the grassy plains and surrounding forests. The high ceiling creates the illusion that the house is open to the Icelandic air, and the outdoor patio is just as functional as the indoor spaces. Off to the side is a master bedroom that features a pebble rock wall, with textures and colors that complement the cool palette of the sky in the wintertime. An outdoor shower continues the reductive theme by allowing the experience of nature to be readily and appropriately accessible. Despite its name, Ice House draws in the warmth of natural sunlight through its expansive rooms and the building’s directionality, and utilizes passive solar power to remain energy-efficient.

Images ©Torfi Agnarsson