Homes built during the mid-century modernist period often possess strong architectural bones hidden beneath decades of poorly planned additions and superficial cladding updates. A careful renovation can strip away these accumulated modifications to reveal and restore the original design intent while adding the open floor plans, natural light connections, and indoor-outdoor transitions that modern families expect. The renovation of a 1966 family home in Garðabær, a suburb of ReykjavÃk, demonstrates how the principles of thoughtful modernist restoration apply to any home with original architectural character worth preserving. The project achieved a gross built area of 290 square meters by working within the existing volume rather than starting from a blank site.
Assessing Architectural Potential Before Planning a Renovation
The starting point for any sensitive home renovation is understanding what exists beneath the layers of later additions. This particular house began its life as a straightforward modernist unit with a clean flat roof and simple rectangular massing, built during a period when Icelandic architecture was embracing international modernist principles. A decade after construction, the original owners added a modest extension that maintained a similar aesthetic. The major intervention came in 1994 when a pitched roof was constructed over the original flat roof and the exterior walls were clad in Steni fiber-cement facade panels. These changes, practical in their time, had almost completely obscured the clean architectural lines that defined the original design. A homeowner considering a similar renovation must first strip away the cosmetic layers and evaluate the original structure’s potential. Pull back dropped ceilings, examine original rooflines, and look for evidence of the home’s first design iteration before committing to any renovation plan.
Removing Additions That Obscure Original Architecture
The renovation team’s most consequential decision was to remove the pitched roof and Steni facade panels that had been added in 1994. This restoration step brought the building back toward its modernist roots by revealing the clean horizontal lines and simple volumetric composition that defined the original architecture. Removing the pitched roof was structurally complex because the 1994 addition had been built on top of the existing flat roof, meaning the original roof structure had to be evaluated for condition and load-bearing capacity before the new flat roof could be reconstructed to modern insulation and waterproofing standards. The Steni panel removal was more straightforward but still required repairing the exterior wall surfaces beneath, which had been protected from weather for over two decades. Homeowners contemplating similar restoration work should budget for unexpected structural repairs that become visible only after cladding and roofing are removed, typically adding fifteen to twenty-five percent to the renovation contingency fund.
Opening Floor Plans with Strategic Additions
With the original structure exposed, the layout was redesigned to meet contemporary living requirements while respecting the modernist volume. A new family room was placed at the physical center of the house, creating a gathering space that had not existed in the original plan where rooms were more compartmentalized. On the south side, an extension added a new dining room and kitchen with a full-height glass window panel that opens directly onto a patio. A cantilevering roof extends beyond the glass line to provide weather protection for the patio below without requiring visible support columns that would interrupt the view. This cantilever detail is a signature modernist device that creates a floating roof plane and visually extends the interior space outward.
Working with Split Levels for Spatial Interest
The dining room and living room sit on separate levels within the extended plan, connected visually by a glazed slit that runs vertically between the two spaces. This partial height separation allows each room to maintain its own spatial identity while remaining connected to the whole. A wide stairway leads from the entrance hall toward this light slot and down to the living room, turning the vertical circulation into a spatial experience rather than a purely functional connection. Split-level planning can make a 290-square-meter home feel larger than its actual footprint by creating sight lines that extend diagonally through multiple zones.
Determining Extension Size Relative to Original Structure
A common question in renovation planning is how large an extension should be relative to the original house. The rule of thumb used in this project was to make the addition subordinate to the existing volume while still providing meaningful extra space. The south-side kitchen and dining extension represents approximately twenty percent of the total rebuilt area, enough to transform how the family uses the home daily without overwhelming the original modernist proportions. Extensions exceeding thirty to forty percent of the original footprint risk creating a composition where the addition dominates rather than complements the existing structure.
| Renovation Decision | Before Condition | After Intervention | Design Intent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof | Pitched roof over flat roof (added 1994) | Restored flat roof with modern insulation | Return to original modernist silhouette |
| Exterior cladding | Steni fiber-cement panels (added 1994) | Clean facade with repaired wall surfaces | Reveal original architectural lines |
| Floor plan | Compartmentalized rooms | New central family room + open kitchen/dining | Create modern open living flow |
| Southern elevation | Solid wall with small windows | Full-height glass panel + cantilevering roof | Connect interior to patio and garden |
| Natural light | Standard window placement | Glazed slit between split levels | Bring daylight deep into the interior |
| Outdoor structures | None | Concrete spa building with sauna and hot tub | Expand living function into the garden |
Bringing Natural Light Deep into Split-Level Interiors
One of the most effective design moves in this renovation was the creation of a glazed slit between the dining and living rooms, which sit on separate levels. This narrow, full-height glass slot brings daylight and visual connection to nature deep into the interior core of the house, reaching spaces that standard perimeter windows cannot serve. The slit runs vertically through both levels, drawing the eye upward and outward rather than letting the interior feel enclosed. The stairway from the entrance hall runs parallel to this slot, so every descent or ascent is accompanied by changing views of the sky and landscape outside. Homeowners planning similar renovations should identify the darkest areas of their existing floor plan and explore whether a vertical light slot, light well, or interior courtyard could bring natural illumination to those zones. Even a twelve-inch-wide slot can transform the atmosphere of an adjacent stairwell or hallway.
Integrating Interior and Outdoor Living Spaces
The ground-level living room opens directly onto the lower patio level through large sliding glass doors, creating a smooth transition between indoor comfort and outdoor recreation. This direct connection means the patio functions as an outdoor room during Iceland’s summer months when daylight extends nearly around the clock. The cantilevering roof above the upper patio extends past the glass wall to provide shelter from rain while maintaining the visual continuity between inside and outside. Designers working on similar projects should consider how each interior space relates to its corresponding exterior area, matching room functions to patio zones so that dining extends to a grilling terrace and living areas connect to lounge seating outside.
Supplementary Structures for Enhanced Property Function
A concrete spa building was added to the garden, containing a sauna and outdoor geothermal hot tub that takes advantage of Iceland’s abundant geothermal energy. This supplementary structure demonstrates how even modest outbuildings can dramatically expand a property’s functional range without enlarging the main house footprint. The spa building uses the same material language as the main house, with clean concrete surfaces and simple geometric forms that respect the overall design vocabulary. Homeowners considering similar additions should match the material palette and design language of the main house so the supplementary structure reads as part of a unified composition rather than an unrelated afterthought. Matching concrete finish, roof edge details, and glazing proportions between the main house and outbuilding creates visual cohesion across the entire property, regardless of the structures’ different functions.
Planning a Phased Renovation That Respects Original Design
The renovation of this 1966 modernist home, completed in 2017, illustrates a repeatable approach for homeowners with properties that have architectural potential buried beneath layers of later modifications. The process begins with understanding the original design intent, removing additions that obscure it, extending the floor plan in a subordinate proportion relative to the existing volume, then adding targeted interventions such as light slots and patio connections that transform how the interior functions. Each decision should be measured against a consistent design framework that prioritizes the original architectural character over trend-driven finishes. For homeowners considering a similar modernist restoration, the investment in careful planning and a clear design brief before construction begins pays dividends in the quality of the finished renovation. The result is a home that honors its architectural heritage while providing the spatial openness, natural light, and indoor-outdoor connection that contemporary family life demands.