Iceland is celebrating the opening of the Harpa-Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Centre, a stunning building whose shimmering glass facade was designed by Olafur Eliasson. Conceived of as a cultural hotspot, it is hoped that the building will also be a tourist draw during the long, dark winters - a fact of life that was central to the design. "In Iceland, 30% of the day is twilight. One third of people's lives are lived in this transitional zone," says Eliasson whose facade reflects the low northern light in all its variations, as though lit from within. "The relationship people in Iceland have to the landscape is like the relationship you have to a close family member. It has to do with the way light gives landscape a constantly changing personality. It speaks to you with such finesse."
Image: Iceland's new Harpa-Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Centre
