Harpa is an award-winning concert hall and conference center in Reykjavík, Iceland. Located within walking distance of other notable Reykjavík attractions like the Sun Voyager and Statue of Leif Erickson, the distinctive colored glass facade inspired by the basalt landscape of Iceland is one of the most notable features of the venue. The building has won the European Union’s Mies van der Rohe award for contemporary architecture, signifying what a remarkable architectural achievement it has become.
However, the experiences that visitors can have at and with the building are limited. Tours, events and concerts take place at Harpa on a frequent basis but there’s little for audiences to engage with beyond these set and planned activities. A few small sculptures inside and around the venue don’t take advantage of the space or the setting to create an icon for the venue or Iceland like some other spaces have enabled.
While Harpa has direct revenue opportunities related to reserving a range of rooms for meetings of all sizes, these rooms don’t take advantage of the surrounds like other venues have done. All of the meeting rooms are technically equipped and offer a projector and equipment for online meetings, showcasing the variety of events that can take place there, but their scope is nonetheless fairly limited.
The store in the Hara provides a powerful economic opportunity for the venue, but there’s very little for sale in the shop that is not available elsewhere in Reykjavík Other monuments have been able to utilize this kind of imagery to offer one-of-a kind items that audiences are attracted to, but these items are not available at the Harpa. Outside the venue, temporary exhibits highlight cultural elements like contemporary photographers, but they’re limited in terms of their reach and impact.
Much like other famous opera houses and even the Sydney Opera House, there is an incredible amount of open and empty space inside and around Harpa. All of this space could be utilized to create monuments or experiences that are unique to Harpa and compel both residents and visitors to keep coming back. While the variety of events and concerts that take place at Harpa provide audiences with a specific reason to visit the venue, the lack of distinct landmarks and experiences that are available to these audiences prevents the Harpa from being something truly monumentous.
