Basalt Architects is an architectural office established in 2009 in Reykjavik, Iceland. Led by partners Sigríður Sigþórsdóttir (founder), Hrólfur Karl Cela, Marcos Zotes and Perla Dís Kristinsdóttir, Basalt’s dynamic team of architects and designers bring together a rich and extensive architectural design and construction experience in Iceland and abroad.
Committed to architecture in concept, design and execution, Basalt provides high quality work and services on projects of different content, expression and scale. Basalt Architects cover a broad spectrum of architectural design services including wellness, office, commercial, residential, leisure, heritage, retail, cultural, exhibition and urban design projects.
Extracting what is unique in each project from an environmental, geographic, cultural and historic context is at the core of Basalt´s design approach. As a result, each project provides a unique experience for its users while fulfilling the client’s utmost interests.
The work of Basalt Architects has been exhibited and published internationally and received numerous awards and recognitions including the Icelandic Design Award’s Grand Prize for their contribution to the development of Iceland´s bathing culture.
Basalt Architects is a founding member of the Icelandic Green Building Council and Nordic Built.
Hrólfur Karl Cela
Partner / Architect, FAÍ
T: +354 515 1400
T: +354 863 0123
Ólíver Ás Kristjánsson
Master Carpenter and
Constructing Architect student
T: +354 515 1400
Perla Dís Kristinsdóttir
Partner / Architect, FAÍ
T: +354 515 1400
T: +354 852 5772
Sigríður Sigþórsdóttir
Founding Partner / Architect, FAÍ
T: +354 515 1400
T: +354 863 3296
2021
- 3rd prize. Two phase design competition for Bridge over Fossvogur
- Darc awards nominee - Óðinstorg Square, Downtown Reykjavík
- Darc awards nominee - Bioeffect flagship store, Downtown Reykjavík
- Innovation in Tourism award SAF. Vök baths
2020
- iF awards - Retreat at Blue Lagoon
- Winner, Icelandic Lighting design awards - Retreat at Blue Lagoon
- Ahead Global awards, Sanctuary Category Winner - Retreat at Blue Lagoon
- Ahead Global awards, 3rd Best Hotel 2020 overall (700 entries) - Retreat BL
- NLDA Lighting awards 2020 nominee - Retreat at Blue Lagoon
- 1st prize. Design competition for a kindergarten and family centre in Reykjavík
- Top hotel design - Top fi ve hotels 2020 - Retreat at Blue Lagoon
- EU Mies Award 2022 - Nominee - Guðlaug
- 1st prize closed competition for private villa
2019
- Ahead Best Resort Hotel Europe
- Skift design Awards 2019 – Retreat at Blue Lagoon
- Times Magazine – 100 Best places in the world - Geosea
- German Design Award – Best interior lighting
- National Tourist Board Prize 2019 - Guðlaug
- National Geographic – Best destination Hotel.
- Architecture Masterprize – Building of the year.
- Architizer A+Award 2019
- Red Dot Design Award 2019 “Best of the best” - The Retreat
- 1st Prize. Design competition for a new nursing home in Höfn
- 1st Prize. C40 Reinventing Cities international competition
- Hospitality Design Award 2019. Best Luxury Hotel. Winner
- Hospitality Design Award 2019. Best Wellness Project. Finalist
- Icelandic Concrete Award / Steinsteypuverðlaunin
- EU Mies Award 2019 - Nominee - Retreat at Blue Lagoon
- FRAME Awards, Exhibition of the Year - Finalist
2018
- Icelandic Design Award 2018 / Hönnunarverðlaun Íslands 2018
- Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2018 "Exhibition Design”
- Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2018 "User Experience design”
- ADC*E - Gold Award 2018 "Spatial / Experiential Design"
- ADC*E - Gold Award 2018 "Interactive and Mobile: UX/UI Design"
- Hönnunarsjóður - Research and development grant
- SEGD Global Design Awards 2018 - Honor Award "Exhibition Design"
- European Design Awards 2018 - Silver Medal "Digital Installations"
- Core77 Design Awards - Notable Honor in "Design Education Initiative"
- Reykjavik Grapevine Design Awards 2018 "Project of the Year"
- Icelandic Lighting Design Awards 2018 - First Prize "Interior Lighting"
- MUSE Awards 2018 - Silver Medal "Interpretive Interactive Installations"
- Icelandic Lighting Design Awards 2018 - First Prize "Lighting Features"
- Nomination. Icelandic Advertising Award / Luðurinn
2016
1st Prize. Vesturbugt competition. Reykjavík, Iceland
Finalist. Nordic Built Cities Kársnes Competition
2015
1st Prize. Óðinstorg Square Competition. Reykjavik, Iceland
2013
3rd Prize. Stöng Ideas Competition. Þjórsárdalur, Iceland
2012
Honarble Mention. Elliðaár design competition. Reykjavík, Iceland
2nd Prize. Kárastaðastígur design competition. Þingvellir National Park, Iceland
2011
DV Cultural Prize in Architecture. Swimming pool in Hofsós. Iceland
The Icelandic Concrete Prize. Swimming pool in Hofsós. Iceland
Nordic Architecture Prize Nomination. Swimming pool in Hofsós. Sweden
1st Prize. Urban Lighting Design Competition. Stavanger, Norway
1st Prize. Design competition for arectorye in Stafholt. Borgarfjörður, Iceland
1st-3rd Prize. Þríhnúkar Volcanic Vault Ideas competition. Bláfjöll area, Iceland
2010
Mies van der Rohe Awards Nomination. Swimming pool in Hofsós. Iceland
1st Prize. Design competition for an exhibition about Jón Sigurðsson. Iceland
2nd Prize. Competition for a new National hospital. Reykjavik, Iceland
2009 and Earlier
Icelandic Contemporary Design Exhibition. Blue Lagoon Clinic. 2009
Icelandic National Architecture Prize.Blue Lagoon Clinic. 2007
Nordic Lighting Design Prize. Blue Lagoon Clinic. 2006
Mies van der Rohe Award Nomination. Blue Lagoon Clinic. 2006
DV Cultural Prize in Architecture. Blue Lagoon Clinic. 2005
Nordic Lighting Design Awards Nomination. Blue Lagoon SPA. 2002
An invitation to Elec in Paris France. Blue Lagoon SPA. 2002
Environmental prize of Reykjanes Peninsula, 2001
Mies van der Rohe Award Nomination.Blue Lagoon SPA. 2000
National Tourist Board Prize. Blue Lagoon SPA. 2000
Environmental Prize of Reykjanes Peninsula. Blue Lagoon SPA. 2000
DV´s cultural prize in architecture, 1999
1st Prize. Reykjavik Harbour Competition. Reykjavik, Iceland. 1998
DV´s cultural prize in architecture 1996
1st Prize. Isafjordur Church Competition. Isafjörður, Iceland. 1993
1st Prize: Art and Cultural Centre in Korpulfsstadir. 1992
1st Prize: SEM housing. Reykjavik, Iceland 1992
1st Prize. Urban plan for Geldinganes. Reykjavik, Iceland. 1991
1st Prize: Geldinganes, town plan for 7000 inhabitants 1990
Nomination for the prize of the NBSM association, 1989
1st Prize. Housing and community hall for elderly people at Lindargata 57–61. Reykjavik, Iceland. 1987
1st Prize: Vitatorg, apartment building and center for elderly 1987