Betong, linoleum, trä

With the publication Betong, linoleum, trä (Concrete, linoleum, wood) I have examined the building Sankt Görans gymnasium. It was designed by architect Léonie Geisendorf in 1960 and stands as a unique and outstanding piece of brutalism in Kungsholmen, Stockholm. The building served as a school for sewing and household work for almost 50 years. In 2007 the school closed and the building was left abandoned for several years, a time during which it was vandalized and fell into disrepair. Svenska Bostäder later bought the building and transformed it into student apartments in 2017. I moved into one of the apartments in August 2023. In this project I have researched archives, magazines and books to tell a story of this building. I have observed and documented the space using photographs, field notes and frottages. Betong, linoleum, trä shows archival material such as architect drawings and photographs, together with my own photographs and frottages of different materials and surfaces in the house. The text is made out of three different sources from my research: the 1991 school inventory made by the city, Léonie Geisendorfs own words, and my own notes. With this project I wanted to paint a deeply personal picture of a fascinating building, both scolded and greatly admired, using the archive and history as well as my personal view and experience.