The Architecture of Deregulations: Politics and Postmodernism pin Swedish Building 1975-1995

How does postmodernism in Swedish architecture relate to the extensive transformations in politics and economics that occur during its time, a period that we tentatively bracket between 1975 to1995? The aim of this project is to analyse the significations of Swedish postmodern architecture in relation to coeval social developments. The so-called postmodern shift that emerges in the 1970's, largely understood as a critique against modernism, is the outset for the project and provides the backdrop for a thorough analysis on what later becomes manifest in concrete building during the 1980's and 90's. Swedish modernism has become synonymous to ‘the architecture of the Welfare state’, shaped by politics in close proximity to architects. Far less is known on the architectural conceptions that come to pass through a critique of this era – nor has the relationship to the concurrent political and economical climate, one characterized by deregulations and market adaptations, been surveyed. Our project differs from previous studies by not primarily looking on the critique against functionalism, instead shifting the focus to what is actually being celebrated and built during this period. Swedish architecture during the latter half of the 20th century has not been fully explored and has not yet been considered in a wider socio-political and economical context, that is, in relation to what has been termed “the end of an epoch” and “the transformation of the Swedish model” (Maktutredningen SOU 1990:44). The working hypothesis to be tried out in this project is that postmodern architecture may not be reduced to a reactive aesthetic style, a reflection of, or a response to changes in society, but that it also – much like a previous functionalism – collaborates in bringing about this shift; is co-acting as an ideologically productive component with processual influence, perhaps foreboding and even producing that sensibility which, colloquially speaking, is known as neo-liberalism. The project will thus conduct a critical investigation of postmodernism – in terms of style, epoch and theory – by analysing the connections between architectural values and their aesthetic manifestation in form in regards to the economical, political and institutional conditions for building and planning. Thus doing, it will also conduct an investigation on the overarching theme of how architecture interacts with extensive transformations of society.

The project is run by Helena Mattsson, Professor KTH, and Catharina Gabrielsson, Associated Professor, KTH, and funded by the Swedish Research Council.