Rural dream near city: New neighborhood offers country living close to amenities

In Tjarnabyggð, a new neighborhood rising near Selfoss, Iceland, residents can experience the dream of rural living close to the city. Haraldur Ólafsson, a master plumber, describes the development as "the biggest secret of the capital region." He and his brother Benedikt Ólafsson, through their family company Landheimar, are building this new phase, aiming to establish organized and quality housing in the countryside without sacrificing access to services and community life.

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Þetta er eiginlega draumurinn hjá mörgum. Að búa í friði og ró, hafa mikið pláss í kringum sig og vera samt bara fimm mínútur frá Bónus.

"It's really the dream for many," Haraldur says. "To live in peace and quiet, have a lot of space around you, and still be just five minutes from Bónus [a supermarket]." Each plot in Tjarnabyggð is at least one hectare, with the largest reaching three hectares. These are all freehold properties, meaning no land lease or infrastructure fees. "People also get very generous building allowances," Haraldur explains. "The zoning plan allows for one residential house plus outbuildings on each plot, with a total building volume of up to 1,500 square meters."

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Þetta eru allt eignarlóðir þannig að það er engin lóðarleiga og engin gatnagerðargjöld. Fólk fær líka mjög miklar byggingarheimildir. Í deiliskipulagi segir að það megi byggja eitt íbúðarhús ásamt útihúsum á hverri lóð og má heildarbyggingarmagn á hverri lóð vera allt að 1.500 fermetrar.

The brothers envision the plots accommodating more than just homes. "If you're a craftsman and need a workshop for your business, you can have it on the property," says Benedikt, who is a carpenter and completing his master carpenter studies. "Or you can keep animals, horses, or just pets. It's a mix of country life and modern conveniences." They note a growing desire for this lifestyle, especially after increased density in the capital region. "I think people are tired of the traffic and always being on top of the next person," Benedikt adds. "People want more privacy and more room to maneuver."

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Ef þú ert til dæmis iðnaðarmaður og vantar verkstæði fyrir reksturinn þinn þá geturðu haft það á lóðinni. Eða verið með dýrahald, hesta eða bara gæludýr. Þetta er svona blanda af sveitalífi og nútímaþægindum.

Haraldur, who lives in Tjarnabyggð with his wife and three children, says his family fell in love with the area immediately. "We were both born and raised in Reykjavík, but we felt comfortable there right away. It feels like you're always a bit in the countryside, even though you're still close to all the services." The development also emphasizes architectural design, with Landheimar collaborating with Ask Architects to ensure the neighborhood's overall appearance is cohesive and appealing.

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Ég held að fólk sé orðið þreytt á umferðinni og því að vera alltaf ofan í næsta manni. Fólk vill komast í meira næði og hafa meira svigrúm.