A team of architects and designers – composed of Esja Architecture and Arkibygg Arkitektar, with ANNA Landslagsarkitekt, Kjartan Mogensen, and AXA Nordic – won the competition held by local authorities for a viewpoint on Mount Bjólfur, in East Iceland.

The project, entitled Ring of Bjólfur, will have a diameter of 32 meters and will be perimeter by an external closure in stainless steel and an internal one in local larch. The structure will be composed mainly of concrete and anchored in four points at 650 meters high and will be accessible in wheelchairs. From there, visitors can enjoy the view of the village of Seydisfjordur, one of the most folkloristic of Iceland, and the narrow fjord overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

“Mount Bjólfur is named after the Viking Bjólfur, who first settled in Seydisfjordur and is believed to have been buried high up on the mountain,” explained the design team, “It is Viking tradition to be buried with their most precious belongings, including jewelry and weapons. Accordingly, the Ring of Bjólfur symbolizes a precious silver ring belonging to Bjólfur, the forefather of the people of the fjord”.