Preparations accelerate for Iceland’s new National Hall

Preparations for Iceland’s new National Hall are moving ahead, with construction work expected to begin in January and the venue due to be completed in 2030, mbl.is reports.

The arena will be built south of Laugardalshöll, a sports hall in Reykjavík, with connections to Borgarlína, walking and cycling routes, and nearby facilities. Icelandic construction company Íslenskir aðalverktakar, known as ÍAV, is building the project.

ÍAV is preparing the main design plans for submission to Reykjavík’s building official after mid-December. The company is also planning work camps, fencing and early construction stages. It hopes to establish the site facilities in early January, begin earthworks late that month and start concrete work in June 2027. ÍAV will carry out the earthworks itself.

Dozens of people are currently working on management, design and preparations, ÍAV chairman Sigurður Ragnarsson said. The workforce is expected to exceed 100 when construction begins in Laugardalur and reach several hundred at the project’s peak in 2029.

Þjóðarhöll ehf., acting on behalf of the Icelandic state and Reykjavík City, selected ÍAV’s bid for the design and construction in June. The contract was signed on September 30. The project team also includes ASK arkitektar, COWI, LPO arkitektar, Ísloft, EOH and Landhönnun.

The contract is worth 16,825,502,986 Icelandic krónur, including 3.3 billion krónur in value-added tax. The state will cover 55 per cent of the cost and Reykjavík City the remaining 45 per cent. The contractor must finish by January 25, 2030.

The 17,700-square-metre arena is designed for indoor sports, concerts and other events, and will also house offices. It will seat 8,600 people at sporting events and accommodate up to 12,000 for concerts. One group of the 2031 World Handball Championship is due to be held in Iceland.