A circular public park on the UI campus, closer connections to the Vatnsmýri nature reserve, a street for the Borgarlína Bus Rapid Transit System, and a range of public spaces for outdoor sport and recreation are all part of the new Development Plan for the University of Iceland. The Development Plan aims to create an interconnected and international standard campus.
Over recent years, the UI Planning Committee has been working with the City of Reykjavík and domestic and international experts to develop this vision for the UI campus. The development plan was discussed and presented at the University Forum, approved by the University Council of the University of Iceland, passed by the Environmental and Planning Council, and approved by the City Council of Reykjavík in December 2024. Plans like this are intended to provide a strategic vision and planning guidance for stakeholders involved in the coordination, design and construction of buildings and landscaping. As the introduction states, “the Development Plan defines the main focuses and overall aesthetic for certain elements of a specific area, which will later translate into a formal land-use plan.”
For example, the plan highlights the unique qualities of the Vatnsmýri area and aims to work in harmony with the existing environment to make the most of these qualities. The plan also focuses on promoting sustainable transport on and around the UI campus through the Borgarlína BRT system and walking and cycling paths which will better connect buildings on campus as well as connecting the campus to downtown Reykjavík and the Vesturbær and Skerjafjörður neighbourhoods. The goal is to reduce car traffic on campus and the number of car parks in public spaces, which are designed for members of the UI community and other local residents to use for sport, recreation, teaching and research. The overall vision for the Development Plan is to strengthen the University of Iceland and the UI community, as well as Reykjavík as a university city.
The Development Plan will be implemented in stages alongside construction projects on campus, parking charges and the introduction of a transport charter. The plan outlines four initial stages, involving construction of Hringgarður (a new circular public park to the east and west of Suðurgata), development of the Borgarlína BRT system and connecting the semicircular green in front of the Main Building to the Vatnsmýri nature reserve.
You can find out more on the website for the UI Development Plan here (in Icelandic).
