Stockholm at Large – Mapping the future of Stockholm

During Stockholm at Large, visions and ideas were formulated about the future of Stockholm. The project was initiated by SAR, now Architects Sweden, and produced by Färgfabriken with the support of around 30 organizations and companies. The success of the first workshop and exhibition 2001 had a sequel where the results from previous seminars and exhibitions were reflected, problematized and taken to a new level. In connection with the follow-up Stockholm at Large II, the book Sthlm at Large was published.

Färgfabriken has been running Stockholm at Large, a project about possible futures for Stockholm, since 2001. At the first workshop, players from various parts of society – politicians, construction companies, architects, students, researchers and urban planners – met at Färgfabriken. For three days these people, who normally only see each other across the negotiating table, worked together on issues dealing with Stockholm seen from a thirty-year perspective. They we’re divided into six different working groups, each of them worked with a specific theme. The result then created the fundament for the exhibition where the audience could walk around on a 650 kvm colossal picture of Stockholm, scale 1:1000. The discussions were led by well-reputed architects like Farshid Moussavi, Andreas Angelidakis and François Roche. Together they had to look at the city in new ways and come up with solutions.

Then we opened the doors to the general public. The interest was enormous: over three weekends, 25 000 visitors came to look at the results of the workshop and to offer their own views. It proved to be a very productive approach, generating a big media response.

The project has led to a new course at KTH’s School of Architecture, Nya stadsbyggnadskontoret (“The new urban planning office”), run by Färgfabriken. A book about Stockholm at Large, Handbok om Stockholms framtid (“Handbook about the future of Stockholm”), was published in November 2004. It is both a summing-up of what has been and a platform for what is to come. Stockholm at Large highlighted the need for an independent link between businesses, institutions and the public. Färgfabriken became that link.

We are now taking the knowledge and experiences of Stockholm at Large and projecting them on the future. Our basic premise is that we are living in a society which has gone through a transformation, a social makeover, and that we need a debate about visions and a future society in a wider context.

During Stockholm at large visions and ideas about a future Stockholm was created. The project was initiated by SAR, present Swedish architects, and was produced by Färgfabriken with the support by a number of organizations and companies.

The first success from 2001 had its follower 2006 when the result from former seminars and exhibitions we’re reflected upon. In realtion to Stockholm at Large II the book Stockholm at Large was released.