The proposals intend to give visitors an understanding and visceral sense of the dynamic nature west of Vatnajökull, how it has influenced the land, people and life both in the region and around the world. It intends to promote an understanding of the community’s respect and resilience for the wonders of nature in a way that inspires visitors to see the natural world in a new way. A sense of welcoming hospitality underpins the design and the experience caters for a broad spectrum of visitors, from tourists to locals, Icelanders and groups. All visitors should leave feeling enriched, fulfilled and inspired. The design approach is rooted in the local landscape that flows through the building to tell the story. The ‘elemental forces’ take the form of two long tables, conceptually referring to fire and ice. These tables weave through the room, gathering spaces between, where curved walls - ‘fragments of landscape’ hold more immersive experiences and detailed content. The exhibition shifts between atmospheres and experiences. The playful pathways provide active moments. The fragments of shaped landscape hold immersive/sensory experiences. The tables and plinths hold maps and models. Together these elements communicate the idea that the Icelandic landscape and community is shaped by disaster. The experience intensifies within the exhibition room, where three landscape rooms or ‘events’ sit within the spaces carved by the two ‘playful pathways’. One of these pathways holds the stories related to impacts on the landscape, and the other holds the stories related to impacts on the community. Models, maps and diagrams are a crucial part of the design. These give the visitor a sense of the scale and nature of the national park, and help to evoke the sheer power of the unseen forces that have shaped the landscape. These moments are both tactile and interactive where appropriate, and used both inside and outside the center.

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