Transforming historic fish oil tanks into cultural hub in Raufarhöfn, Iceland

In Raufarhöfn, Iceland, the historic fish oil tanks, originally built between 1938 and 1940, are being transformed for a new cultural purpose. The tanks, which have stood empty for 20 years following the last shipments of fish oil, are a prominent feature of the village, and there has been a longstanding desire among residents to repurpose them.

This summer, progress began with a grant of 15 million krónur from the Ministry of Infrastructure, enabling access to the tanks. Openings have been made in the tanks, which will soon be fitted with brightly-colored doors designed to catch the attention of passersby.

Nanna Steina Höskuldsdóttir, a community representative in Raufarhöfn, highlighted efforts to create two entrances for safety reasons, ensuring that the historic site could safely host cultural events. Local filmmaker Ásdís Thoroddsen has assisted in the project and noted that the excellent acoustics of the tanks make them suitable for concerts, rehearsals, and even recording sessions.

The local community is eager to see these changes come to fruition, with many residents already visiting the site to witness the transformation. New doors are expected to be installed in the coming days, and significant changes to the site are hoped for throughout the summer and into autumn.

As the project continues to develop, there are numerous ideas being explored for the use of the tanks, sparking excitement among the residents of Raufarhöfn about the potential cultural hub that this transformation could create.