JesEinarÞorsteinsson

Architect

Jes Einar Þorsteinsson (1934-2024) was born in Vestmannaeyjar. He studied fine art at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière and architecture at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris between 1954 and 1967. After returning to Iceland, he established an architectural practice and designed numerous buildings, primarily in the fields of sports and healthcare. Among his best known buildings are Skeiðalaug swimming pool in Brautarholt on the south coast of Iceland and Seltjarnarnes Health Centre and Music School.

Jes Einar served as Head of the Association of Icelandic Architects in 1984 and 1985. He took part in establishing ÍSARK, an association that laid the foundations for architectural education in Iceland. In 2013, Jes Einar was elected an honorary member of the Association of Icelandic Architects.

One of the defining characteristics of Jes Einar’s architecture is the use of board-marked concrete. The exterior was generally painted white or grey, while the concrete was left untreated on the inside. He also designed windows in which the frames are not visible from the outside. In rows of windows, he separated individual openings with concrete beams, creating a rhythm across the façade. For timber elements he frequently used Douglas fir.

Jes Einar’s distinctive approach is particularly evident in the way he shaped interior space. Unlike many of his contemporaries working in the modernist tradition, where open plans and exposed structural elements were common, Jes Einar emphasized the shaping of the space itself, allowing the structural framework to follow. This approach resulted in buildings with sculptural forms and openings in unexpected places.

The exhibition focuses on seven built projects. Together they highlight the defining characteristics and architectural approach of Jes Einar´s work.