Icelandic architect, Arnhildur Palmadottir, is reimagining architecture with Lavaforming: a speculative design project that proposes the use of molten lava as a sustainable building material.

Developed through her Reykjavík-based firm, s.ap arkitektar, the concept explores guiding lava flows via controlled channels to form foundations and structures, transforming a natural hazard into a renewable resource.

Inspired by her home country’s frequent volcanic activity and deep geothermal energy expertise, Lavaforming envisions a future where cities rise directly from the Earth’s crust.

Palmadottir shared in a recent interview: “In our story, placed in 2150, we have harnessed the lava flow, just as we did with geothermal energy 200 years earlier in Iceland. A lava flow can contain enough building material for the foundations of an entire city to rise in a matter of weeks, without harmful mining and non-renewable energy generation.”

Since scientists are able to predict eruption sites, Pálmadóttir proposes designing gravity-powered channels or pump systems to guide lava flow into molds or trenches, creating everything from streets to civic buildings.

The idea, though hypothetical, addresses real challenges: the Nordic island nation lacks abundant natural building materials like wood or clay, and construction remains a major contributor to global carbon dioxide emissions. By turning destructive eruptions into creative opportunities, this new construction method represents a paradigm shift in sustainable architecture.

The project will be featured at Iceland’s national pavilion during the 19th International Architecture Exhibition at the La Biennale di Venezia in Venice, Italy, next month.

As volcanic activity increases worldwide, Lavaforming could inspire other nations with similar geology to rethink urban development in harmony with nature.

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