After severe storms caused serious damages to the road and pathways in the Ánanaust and Eiðissgranði area, the city of Reykjavík decided that the reinforce the existing sea defense walls. The reinforcement project opened the opportunity to redesign the existing path and cycle ways that run near the sea wall and new observation decks were added. The observation deck in Ánanaust offers unique views towards the Faxafloi bay, and on clear days it is possible to see all the way to the town of Akranes, and the Snæfellsjokul glacier. This deck is also an perfect spot to experience the arctic summer “midnight sun”. As for darkness, this observation deck has a conflicting situation between the intrinsic darkness of the seafront, and the illumination from the nearby road. There were plans to accent the observation deck element from one of the nearest light poles. But once professional lighting designers became involved, the approach changed and the target was not just to illuminate the site, but to find a lighting solution that could highlight the element’s design, while creating an inviting atmosphere and preserving as much as possible the quality of darkness.
The lighting scheme aims to create an atmosphere that invites people to access the site, with a smooth transition between the street lighting and the natural darkness of the sea front. The lighting situation also needs to provide enough safety and visual comfort. Lighting was also designed to provide a distinctive character, making it a reference point for the overall sea wall reinforcement project.
