Alternance Architecture and Urban Planning was created in 1999 and is based in Reykjavik.
The scope of actions covers practice and applied research.
Regarding practice, Alternance field is very large in the project size way which goes from urban-planning to furniture event. Quality wise we essentially work on very challenging projects that ask for a lot of creativity. Alternance is currently developing “Hovering trails” products that are paths in aluminium specially made for sensible naturals reserves of Iceland.
Regarding applied research, Alternance is developing a project called MAPS- multidisciplinary assessment of a public space. It’s a methodology intended to assess the quality of public space and to provide recommendations for the public authorities to improve them. This methodology is developed by a multidisciplinary team specialised in urban planning: a historian, an architect, a social psychologist, and a planner. It's a multidisciplinary methodology combining social sciences, architecture and planning that considers the environmental and social aspects of public space. Alternance joined the European team of Human Cities-SMOTIES with the MAPS project.
People involved:
Astrid Lelarge
Astrid Lelarge, historian, holds a PhD. from the Free University of Brussels and the University of Iceland. She is specialized in urban planning history. Her experience of working with specialists in other disciplines, in the public and private sectors, enabled her to develop a special interest for applied research. She is the project manager of the MAPS team. She is the co-owner of Alternance and works also for the faculty of Planning and design at Agricultural University of Iceland.
Birgir Þröstur
Birgir Þröstur Jóhannsson, architect, holds a MA in architecture, with specialisation in urban planning, from ISACF La Cambre in Brussels. He founded Alternance Architecture and Urban Planning in 2000. He’s a practitioner involved in urban planning, architecture projects and design, as well as active in local politics directing a council that links politicians of Reykjavik and inhabitants.
Pall Jakob Líndal
Pall Jakob Líndal, psychologist, holds a PhD. in environmental psychology from The University of Sydney, Australia. For more than a decade, he has been a strong advocate for integrating psychology to design and planning processes, to create more human friendly and more psychologically supportive urban environments. Pall is an owner of TGJ design – consultancy - research, an architectural and planning studio.
Sigriður Kristjánsdóttir
Sigriður Kristjánsdóttir, geographer and planner, holds a PhD. in geography and
environmental sciences from the University of Birmingham. She is the dean of the faculty of Planning and design at the Agricultural University of Iceland. Her research focuses on sustainable development in the Arctic (with an emphasis on planning and land use), on urban morphology and urban landscape.
