KCAP presented its winning design for the Keflavik Area Strategic Masterplan in Iceland. It covers an area of 55 kilometres around Iceland’s international aviation hub. The masterplan was developed in collaboration with Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners and Kanon Arkitektar, a multidisciplinary team from professionals across a wide variety of fields. It aims to create a “collaborative developmental between public and private sector”, transforming specific areas around the airport into the hallmarks for the country’s sustainability strategies and economic strategies.

KCAP’s masterplan aims at establishing a mutually benefiting relationship between the airport, the local communities, and taking advantage of the abundance of renewable energy and proximity to Reykjanes UNESCO Geopark. The new urban framework is a multicentric urban archipelago that includes specific sites that can catalyze the development of different economic sectors. It also has carefully crafted timelines. This area will attract high-value businesses by expanding into new areas such as hi-tech agriculture, electric aviation, and hydrogen production. These opportunities will not only benefit the local workforce, but also attract talent and enhance educational opportunities.

An important project like this requires a bold approach, but also sensitivity. Investors will be provided with a step-by-step roadmap that addresses the opportunities, market, culture, and stakeholder landscape. Stakeholder relations should be treated in the same way. This will help to build a resilient organization. – Anouk Koutenbrouwer, KCAP partner.

The “identity carrier” for an airport area is the Landscape design. It adheres to the country’s climate action plan which focuses on reforestation. The new Airport Corridor connects the masterplan area to a national network for reforestation. A new mobility strategy was also envisioned. It includes the Keflavik–Reykjavik Link, (BRT), and new links between urban nodes in the airport areas.

Design Team

• KCAP, Zurich (urban planning and urban design)
• WSP London (economic, real estate, collaborative development, organisational readiness).
• Felixx Landscape Architects & Planners Rotterdam (landscape architect).
• MIC Mobility in Chain (mobility/transport planning)
• VSO Consulting, Reykjavik (local coordination, urban planning)
• Buck Consultants International, Nijmegen/The Hague (cargo plan)
• Buro Happold Berlin (climate, aviation mitigation, performance, and energy supply strategy).
• Base Design, Brussels (placemaking & wayfinding).
• Maurits Schaafsma (Airport Area Master Planning) Amsterdam
• Amberg Loglay, Zurich (emerging aviation technologies)
• Kanon Arkitektar Reykjavik (local architect, landscape architect)