The past is grey in colour and marked with the customs and ways of generations past, which we should respect. The present is blue and represents global multicultural influences, which we should learn. The future is blue/green and is marked with the hope of progress. But let us never be heedless about the past. Respect it with flying colours.

Gunnar Hersveinn, “Reykjavík in Three Colours,” in Reykjavík 64˚08N 21˚54W by Ami Sioux, translated by Bernard J. Scudder, 2006.

Harbors have always been centers of traffic in cities. Trade and business have flourished in their close vicinity and have strongly and definitively shaped the images of urban centers of harbor cities. Reykjavík is no exception. Throughout the ages, cities have been considered enduring phenomena that develop over a long period of time. They have risen and fallen throughout the course of history. And underlying the development of all cities is a social factor that shapes them and makes them come alive. Taking into consideration the role and importance of the social factor, it is important to contemplate the position of the harbor with regards to its connection with other parts of the city and the active social framework.

Reykjavík wants to be open and international by nature, a place where a number of social relations and connections overlap. The area around the old harbor is in this case very important, and it is necessary to examine similar conditions abroad, i.e. cities whose harbor areas have gone through great changes. In the last two decades such areas in many places have gone through considerable upheaval and significant change.

We can all see how many great opportunities lie in the reconstruction and changed use of the harbor area in central Reykjavík. The area is a stage for upheaval where people and environment mix in various determined—and sometimes undetermined—ways.

The tearing-down of a huge area with limited usage, like the Reykjavík harbor, should make room to build a better, holistic city with possibilities for creating new activities. This is an extensive task that demands care, discipline and political will if it is to succeed; above all it demands consideration of long-term effects these changes might have if they are put into action. Here it is critical to have a good sense of political timing so as to prevent urban sprawl.

It is important to prevent spatial and environmental homogeneity, and also to secure the position of the downtown center as a setting for an energetic national capital. First and foremost, it is necessary to activate the powers that initiate the workings of such a city. In this context it is essential to establish a clear definition of what is public space and what is not.

What is public space when discussing Reykjavik’s eastern harbor? And what are the rules of play when private individuals hold authority over spaces once considered those of public individuals within the city? Private individuals working in the areas mentioned here must never prioritize their own economic interests if they go against those of the general public. The rules of play must be flexible and always apply to changing circumstances. They must incorporate the zeitgeist.

The British use the word “cul-de-sac” when talking about a dead-end street. The word derives from French, and its literal meaning is “bottom of a bag”—a dark place where boredom prevails. It is important that the present and coming construction at the old harbor in Reykjavík not appear as such a dead-end street. The reason to underscore this is because of the fact that little has been presented publicly of the overall appearance of the infrastructure or the atmosphere of the city that must sustain the culture and ambiance of the area known as the eastern harbor. We do know that in the area a great concert and conference center is being built, along with a hotel, a banking complex and several other corporate buildings. However, we do not know much about the spaces between these buildings, how they will connect with other city buildings, or how social life will be in this part of the city. Neither do we know how the area will be kept alive and exciting.

But this unique subject demands discussion and further exploration, as future development is crucial for the downtown area and the country as a whole. Much responsibility rests on the shoulders of those who work toward the preparation and realization of this task. The task is not an easy one and it requires a fresh approach from those who will bring this about. The circumstances are unique and expectations high. Decisions must not be made behind closed doors. The harbor area must strengthen the city. That is a minimum demand.

It is unclear how the eastern harbor will be connected with other downtown areas. The harbor lies perpendicular to the east–west axis that stretches along Laugavegur from Ingólfstorg Square. It will take determination and a dynamic public space with vibrant cultural life to establish a strong connection between the endpoint at the northernmost part of the eastern harbor and the rest of the city. All possible resources must be tapped in order for this to happen. Social life, streets and buildings must form an undivided whole.

Hopefully the people to whom this applies will succeed in leveraging the forces necessary to accomplish this. Hopefully we will succeed in breathing life into the debate about this important topic by engaging working artists in the conversation and by comparing examples from abroad, discussing them and learning from them. There is enough to choose from.