See how three of Reykjavík's squares will be transformed by a new Hilton hotel 6320

Work on a new 160 room luxury Hilton hotel by Austurvöllur square is about to start. The hotel, which will be marketed under the Curio by Hilton brand and called Iceland Parliament Hotel, will transform three of Reykjavík's main squares, Austurvöllur, Ingólfstorg and Víkurgarður.

Construction should be in full swing by early summer, and the hotel is projected to open its doors in the spring of 2018.

Transforms three downtown squares
In a newly posted video of what the completed hotel will look like you can see how it will transform the three squares it will border in a recently posted video which takes you around the hotel, starting in Víkurgarður square, circling the site counter-clockwise to Austurvöllur and from there through the alley Thorvaldssenstræti to Ingólfstorg square. 

Read more: 7 things you didn't know about Alþingishúsið, the house of parliament

The project has been very controversial, as some feel that it is inappropriate to build a hotel this close to the house of parliament, while others have complained that the hotel is too big, gobbling up areas which are had previously been occupied by sidewalks and parking spaces which are at a premium in downtown Reykjavík.

Others have argued that the hotel will change the street view to the better, transforming Thorvaldssenstræti alley from a dingy back alley into a vibrant pedestrian street by adding new structures which blend in with the surrounding buildings. What do you think?  

New Hilton hotel The hotel will occupy most of the block at the center of the photo. The three squares bordering it are Austurvöllur (top) Ingólfstorg (bottom left) and Víkurgarður (bottom right). Photo/ASK arkítektar

View from east The hotel will add a row of houses which will form it's face towards Kirkjustræti street which runs parallel to the House of Parliament. Photo/ASK arkítektar

Seen from Austurvöllur square The hotel will use the existing buildings, the six story concrete structure which used to house the Icelandic state telephone company and the small wooden building next to it. A new row of houses which blend with the nearby buildings will be constructed along Kirkjustræti street. Photo/ASK arkítektar

View from Víkurgarður square Kirkjustræti street will become narrower, and the construction will fill in gaps in the street view. Photo/ASK arkítektar

Thorvaldssenstræti alley The houses which currently stand along this street are the two wooden buildings at each end and the red wooden building in the center. The construction will add new buildings between them which will fill in the gaps, creating a more complete street view. Photo/ASK arkítektar

View from ingólfstorg One of the greatest changes is that an alley which currently seperates the red and yellow wooden buildings on the south edge of the square will disappear. Photo/ASK arkítektar

Work on a new 160 room luxury Hilton hotel by Austurvöllur square is about to start. The hotel, which will be marketed under the Curio by Hilton brand and called Iceland Parliament Hotel, will transform three of Reykjavík's main squares, Austurvöllur, Ingólfstorg and Víkurgarður.

Construction should be in full swing by early summer, and the hotel is projected to open its doors in the spring of 2018.

Transforms three downtown squares
In a newly posted video of what the completed hotel will look like you can see how it will transform the three squares it will border in a recently posted video which takes you around the hotel, starting in Víkurgarður square, circling the site counter-clockwise to Austurvöllur and from there through the alley Thorvaldssenstræti to Ingólfstorg square. 

Read more: 7 things you didn't know about Alþingishúsið, the house of parliament

The project has been very controversial, as some feel that it is inappropriate to build a hotel this close to the house of parliament, while others have complained that the hotel is too big, gobbling up areas which are had previously been occupied by sidewalks and parking spaces which are at a premium in downtown Reykjavík.

Others have argued that the hotel will change the street view to the better, transforming Thorvaldssenstræti alley from a dingy back alley into a vibrant pedestrian street by adding new structures which blend in with the surrounding buildings. What do you think?  

New Hilton hotel The hotel will occupy most of the block at the center of the photo. The three squares bordering it are Austurvöllur (top) Ingólfstorg (bottom left) and Víkurgarður (bottom right). Photo/ASK arkítektar

View from east The hotel will add a row of houses which will form it's face towards Kirkjustræti street which runs parallel to the House of Parliament. Photo/ASK arkítektar

Seen from Austurvöllur square The hotel will use the existing buildings, the six story concrete structure which used to house the Icelandic state telephone company and the small wooden building next to it. A new row of houses which blend with the nearby buildings will be constructed along Kirkjustræti street. Photo/ASK arkítektar

View from Víkurgarður square Kirkjustræti street will become narrower, and the construction will fill in gaps in the street view. Photo/ASK arkítektar

Thorvaldssenstræti alley The houses which currently stand along this street are the two wooden buildings at each end and the red wooden building in the center. The construction will add new buildings between them which will fill in the gaps, creating a more complete street view. Photo/ASK arkítektar

View from ingólfstorg One of the greatest changes is that an alley which currently seperates the red and yellow wooden buildings on the south edge of the square will disappear. Photo/ASK arkítektar