Vision

Masterplan

Strategies

Background

The masterplan will establish the Keflavik Airport Area as a strategic centre  for sustainable innovation at the crossroads of Europe and North America.

The masterplan is conceptualised as a multi-dimensional framework to achieve economic, social and environmental outcomes. It will support Iceland’s net-zero and sustainability ambitions as well as exemplify the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The design concepts promote health and well-being, appropriate densities, active landscaping, combined with the latest technologies, to create a green, sustainable city region of the future. Designed as an integrated masterplan combining transport, energy, industrial, commercial and social planning, it will diversify the local economy towards high value sectors supported by world class living and cultural spaces. The focus areas have strong synergies based on innovative circular economy concepts that will generate multiple and long term benefits. The KAA masterplan will deliver a historic legacy for Iceland that will be cherished and celebrated for generations to come.

The journey to achieve the ambitious vision and carefully crafted strategies requires a coordinated, stepwise and partnership led approach. The first steps are essential to give confidence and direction to the masterplan. It requires focusing on priority infrastructure gaps as well as developing attractive commercial propositions.
A key part of the start-up phase is to show readiness for future projects. Better planning for skills, targeting investor requirements and strengthening municipal capacity and finance would provide a strong foundation for the KAA masterplan.

Careful selection of priority projects and organisational readiness is important for the masterplan to be successful as well as constant stakeholder consultation and validation.

To reverse the risk of dispersed urbanisation, the spatial masterplan proposes to focus on the development of few strategic areas with a high impact in terms of identity and value creation. Linked through landscape and mobility networks, these areas develop into unique and complementary entities to form a cohesive airport archipelago.
With Keflavík airport in the centre and in synergy with the wider region, these focus areas include: Helguvík-Bergvík, Keflavík airport terminal forecourt, as well as key sites at Aðalgata and Ásbrú. Furthermore, the towns of Garður, Sandgerði and Hafnir are connected through active mobility and landscape networks.

The masterplan is driven by strong principles of shared prosperity and sustainable growth. The growth opportunities are significant for the Suðurnes region, driven in part by rising passenger numbers at Keflavík International Airport. The locational advantages are clear - a range of high-tech industries can capitalise on airport/port proximity, clean energy, vibrant living and a highly skilled workforce. 
Investors are already enquiring and seeking good quality sites. By integrating with Isavia’s airport masterplan and local masterplans, we recognise the immense potential for diversifying the regional economy. There are opportunities in further developing a future-facing fishing and tourism sector in the short term, and hi-tech agriculture, bio-tech and eventually advanced aviation fuels and hydrogen in the medium to longer term. 
The masterplan has strategically identified sites that promote strong synergies, partnership and circular economy concepts. The catalytic sites at the airport forecourt, Helguvík-Bergvík, Helguvík Port, Aðalgata and Ásbrú are well suited to respond to the new opportunities by supporting and complementing each other. 
The masterplan therefore fully integrates the clear economic opportunities with the spatial character and developmental capacity of the area; locating the right activities – economic, environmental, infrastructure and community - in the right places and in the right combinations or clusters. This provides the basis for a plan that responds effectively to demand parameters, maximises competitive advantages and makes the best of the area’s unique spatial features.

Building on cooperation between municipalities and stakeholders, the Keflavík Airport Area masterplan offers the requisite coordination, ideas and programs to create an attractive and liveable urban environment transforming the Suðurnes Region into a cohesive airport area.
Whilst advancing a distinct spatial logic for airport related sectors, the KAA masterplan also accommodates growth in attractive residential areas with adequate levels of services and public infrastructure.
As the gateway to Iceland, the Keflavík Airport Area Masterplan will create a welcoming and memorable arrival experience.

For a more sustainable, varied and comfortable urban fabric, the principles formulate responses to climate conditions, compactness and use mix.

Urban design principles address the Icelandic climatic conditions by: 
<ul><li>Semi-open courtyard typology for wind shelter</li><li>Non alignment of the urban front</li><li>Reducing straight avenues</li><li>Similar height of buildings</li><li>South orientation of buildings and public places</li><li>High capacity snow retention management</li><li>Transition zones between indoors and outdoors</li></ul>

They also address low-density conditions by:
<ul><li>Concentration, rather than dispersion</li><li>Reduced need for trips</li><li>Comfortable, protected and sheltered open space</li><li>Creating stronger neighbourhood character</li><li>Efficient use of infrastructures</li></ul>

Finally they address monofunctional uses by: 
<ul><li>Synergies between uses</li><li>Concentration of people and activities</li><li>Bundling interactions and activities</li><li>Flexibility to adapt to changing needs</li></ul>

The existing spatial structure of the Suðurnes Region is made of historical settlements, villages and port-towns along the coast, as well as more recent airport related developments in the vicinity of Keflavík Airport.
Building on this context, the proposed spatial framework organises growth in distinct areas. These are connected by the Route 41, improved local networks and embedded in a landscape spine connecting the tip of the peninsula to existing and proposed centralities.

Maximizing the potential of the existing context, the focus areas within KAA are conceived as distinctive character areas that offer complementary experiences and economic opportunities:
<ul><li>Helguvík-Bergvík, ‘accellerating the Energy transition’, transforms into an eco industrial park</li><li>The Keflavík Airport Forecourt, ‘starting the journey’, offers commercial and visitor amenities, improved car rental facilities and a public transport terminal</li><li>Aðalgata, ‘connecting the municipalities’, evolves into a mixed-use cluster including R&amp;D, community and residential programs</li><li>Ásbrú, ‘lively communes’, densifies into diverse clusters, residential and manufacturing , including an urban centre and the airside area focusing on aviation activities</li><li>The towns of Garður, Sandgerði and Hafnir expand with residential programs</li></ul>

To support the growing population, the masterplan organises the expansion of residential areas together with the provision of social infrastructures and amenities.

Diverse industrial and commercial activities are clustered into KAA’s focus areas: activities directly related to the airport operations, but also benefitting from the nexus of airport-related functions.

Vision

Stratetic Masterplan

Multi-dimensional framework

Initiation

Develop a cohesive airport archipelago through focus areas

Integrating economics and spatial planning to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth

Overall Masterplan 2050

Urban design principles

Spatial framework

Character areas

Residential & social infrastructures

Economic activities