The National Theatre of Iceland

The National Theatre of Iceland features a heavy, basalt-like facade shaped like a rugged cliff face, designed by architect Guðjón Samúelsson to mimic the volcanic rock formations found throughout the island. Before it opened in nineteen fifty, Icelandic performers lacked a permanent home, often staging plays in simple rented halls. During the construction, workers discovered that the site was solid basalt, forcing them to blast through the rock by hand. The finished building finally gave national language and drama a literal foundation.