The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland

PrizeWinner in Architectural Design / Hospitality Architecture, Architectural Design of the Year
Firm LocationReykjavík, Iceland
CompanyBasalt Architects
Lead ArchitectSigríður Sigþórsdóttir
Design TeamAnna Björg Sigurðardóttir, Ástríður Birna Árnadóttir, Davíð Hildiberg Aðalsteinsson, Einar Hlér Einarsson, Elín Þórisdóttir, Guðjón Kjartansson, Harpa Heimisdóttir, Hrólfur Karl Cela, Jóhann Harðarson, Jón Guðmundsson, Marcos Zotes, Niklas Dahlström, Perla Dís Kristinsdóttir, Stefanía Helga Pálmarsdóttir, Unnsteinn Jónsson
ClientBlue Lagoon Iceland

The Retreat provides a unique way to experience Iceland´s ancient bathing culture. The task faced by the architects was to push the boundaries between nature, architecture and experience, to shape a place where guests feel a connection to Icelandic nature. Built directly into a 751-year-old lava flow in the heart of the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, the Retreat encompasses a subterranean spa, geothermal lagoon and 62-suite hotel encircled by the Blue Lagoon’s seawaters. Treasures of the site — the mineral-rich water, the rugged lava and centuries-old moss — become the focal point of every space in the building.