I rummets kraftfält : om arkitektur och offentlig inredning i Sverige 1935-1975

Sammanfattning: This thesis dealswith an essential direction inmodern Swedish architecture and interior design. Sven Ivar Lind (1902–80), the brothers Erik and Tore Ahlsén (1901–88, 1906–91) and Peter Celsing (1920–74) were architects that devoted intense concentration to artistic problems and sought close collaborationwith artists.They gave asmuch attention to furnishing, art and interior details as to plans, spatiality and lighting—in that respect they stood out among their colleagues. The purpose of the thesis is to describe and analyse the holistic approach of these architects to spatial design. One important hypothesis is that this approach is linked to the reappraisal of functionalism that took place in the late 1930s and the 1940s.The first chapter of the thesis is devoted entirely to the reappraisal of functionalism. In the following chapters three milieus are studied and interpreted: Stockholm’s City Archives (1939–59) by Sven Ivar Lind, the CivicHall in Örebro (1957–65) by Erik and Tore Ahlsén and the Bank of Sweden and the temporary Riksdag building at Sergels Torg (1965–1976) by Peter Celsing.What distinguishes Lind, the Ahlsén brothers and Celsing fromthemajority of their fellow architects is that they combined the ambition to design special furnishings—a heritage fromGunnar Asplund—with the use ofwhat could be described as commonplace stylistic features. Designing their own furniture was paradoxically the best way of attaining the unremarkable atmosphere they strove for.However, the conventional details and furnishings based on traditional patterns were sometimes highly expressive. The expressiveness is that which arises when commonplace objects are associated in new and unexpected combinations.Finally a common denominator was the belief that sense impressions alone do not create the beholder’s perception of spatiality, asmemories and previous spatial experienceswill also play their part.Widespread attentionwas paid to associations in the 1940s but theywere later considered to be illegitimate sources of architectonic effect. The main subjects of this study were to sustain awareness of the significance of associations for spatial experience well into the 1970s.