Vesturvin Residential Complex | Studio Marco Piva

In the heart of Reykjavík, Vesturvin residential complex comes to life: an interior design project by Studio Marco Piva where the Icelandic landscape takes center stage.

The new Vesturvin residential complex comprises 210 apartments of various sizes, distributed across six buildings in the former industrial area near the port of Reykjavík. The design approach synthesized the six buildings into three distinct interior styles inspired by the Icelandic landscape (Steam of Iceland, Urban Ocean, Arctic Blue), offering diverse interpretations while maintaining continuity with the architectural language and the surrounding area.

An intervention conceived as a “turnkey” project with a European approach, intended to introduce a new way of experiencing residential development in the country, all apartments were sold fully fitted-out, an unusual practice in Iceland, including fixed interior elements such as kitchens, wardrobes, doors, and bathrooms, developed and supplied by Italian companies such as Cassina and Lema, main contractors for the project.

This comprehensive fit-out strategy strengthened the synergy between architecture and interior design, defining coherent chromatic and material atmospheres that supported the end user in perceiving and purchasing their future home already as a complete living experience.

Vesturvin represents the meeting of two design cultures: the luminous rigor of Northern Europe and the material-driven soul of Italian design.

Steam of Iceland, Urban Ocean, and Arctic Blue explore the dichotomy between ice and fire, opposite yet inseparable natural elements of the Icelandic landscape that coexist in harmony.

The result is a contemporary language of balance and harmony, where essential geometry meets the richness of materials and artisanal savoir-faire. 

Steam of Iceland is inspired by the smokiness of the vapors that emerge from the encounter between lava and ice, a pure and elegant mood designed for a less young target and tied to tradition. Calm mood, inspiring tranquility and comfort, very much related to Icelandic culture and the concept of timelessness.

Urban Ocean tells of the osmosis between the Arctic sea and the city of Reykjavík, a sophisticated mood with abstract and innovative colors, designed for young couples. Colours are a little more abstract and more Nordic in their colour base, which takes its inspiration from the surrounding nature to the different shades of green, aquamarine glaciers, the tundras of Icelandic landscapes, the intensities of the green skies of the North light.

Arctic Blue plays with various facets of the blue color into a space that we have defined as "crystallized fluidity", where the soft shapes crystallize becoming more rigid, thus recalling the ice that characterizes the nature of Icelandic territory. Modern mood designed for middle-aged people still in business.

The photographed project embodies the Steam of Iceland aesthetic, where materiality and nature are seamlessly interwoven within the interiors, generating both visual continuity and a sense of tactile warmth.

Natural light, an essential element at northern latitudes, becomes a defining feature of the project, shaping the spaces as it moves across surfaces and enhances textures, volumes, and materials.

A refined neutral palette unfolds through subtle variations, where white is never perceived as uniform but rather expressed through the diversity of surfaces and their material qualities.

Studio Marco Piva interprets this relationship as a harmonious synthesis that gives rise to a contemporary language of warm minimalism. Rather than a juxtaposition of two distinct sensibilities, the project expresses a form of mutual enrichment: the encounter between the essential, rigorous geometry of Nordic culture and the richness of materials and craftsmanship rooted in Italian tradition.

The intervention stems from a deep respect for the existing architecture and a desire to enhance its spatial qualities, fostering a continuous dialogue between architecture and interior design. The interiors are conceived to expand the perception of space and maximize natural light, an essential presence at northern latitudes. Light itself becomes a true design material, flowing across surfaces and revealing textures and chromatic nuances.

The project is defined by a clean, essential, and contemporary language, where formal simplicity allows the material richness to emerge.

A place where nature, architecture, and design merge seamlessly, the project expresses an essential yet deeply welcoming environment, capable of conveying the emotion and sensibility of Italian design.

The artworks featured in the project are created by Sweet Salone, a design collaboration founded by the Aurora Foundation, which brings together Icelandic designers and artisans from Sierra Leone, merging traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design.

Each piece is conceived in Iceland and handcrafted in Sierra Leone using locally sourced materials such as natural fibres and clay. The collection draws on traditional know-how while introducing a contemporary design language, resulting in objects that are deeply rooted in heritage yet fully relevant in a modern context.

The result is a project that amplifies spatial perception, enhances light, and establishes a profound dialogue with its surroundings.

PROJECT CREDITS

CLIENT: Vesturvin

PROJECT

Interior design

Family housing complex in Reykjavik

210 apartments, from 48 to 160 sqm

ARCHITECTURE: JVST - Nordic — Office of Architecture - THG Arkitekta

INTERIOR DESIGN: Studio Marco Piva 

SITE AREA / BUILT UP AREA: 21.000 sqm

DATE

2021 – 2026

IMAGES: Maurizio Morra

SUPPLIERS:

Aran Cucine, Cassina, District Eight, Elica, Fenix, Grohe, Hegger, Infinity, Kährs, Kave Home, Korado, Lema, Marazzi, Miele, Phantom Hands, Rubn, Saviola, Skermir, Sweet Salone, Tabu