Arrhov Frick Arkitektkontor . renders: © Olivier Campagne
In June 2024, ArkDes, Sweden’s national museum of architecture and design, will unveil a new experience for its visitors. In its historic buildings, next to Moderna Museet in the centre of Stockholm, ArkDes will create new spaces for a radical rethinking of how to exhibit architecture and design, with the direction of Arrhov Frick. A strong focus is placed on open, welcoming meeting spaces, a new collections exhibition, space for temporary exhibitions and events, new access to outdoor areas, and more space for play.
At the heart of this comprehensive rethinking of ArkDes’ spaces will be a new exhibition of Swedish architecture and design between 1880 and the present day, bringing to light never-before-seen, original works from ArkDes’ world class collection of four million objects. At the same time, ArkDes is pursuing new stories hidden in the collection, including research into the many women whose decisive roles in Swedish architecture and design history have been hidden or forgotten.
Sweden’s history of architecture and design is unique and our collection is one of the country’s major cultural treasures. Nowhere else in the world has architecture had such a strong connection with building a modern society. Now all our focus is on building a new ArkDes with the ambition to become one of the world’s most important museums for architecture and design, combining a new historical narrative with a wide range of the work of contemporary architects and designers, says Kieran Long, director of ArkDes.
The location is the same as before, but otherwise ArkDes will be something completely new. The early conceptual drawings from architects Arrhov Frick demonstrate their approach, creating an elegant new interior from a radical approach to reusing materials. Their plan includes a new entrance to the museum, which will be the site of an annual commission for a spectacular entrance portal.
Inside, the full breadth of ArkDes’ work will be present, from historic collections to contemporary exhibitions. A new space dedicated to practice-based research and policy work will invite the public into the debate about the future of Swedish cities. ArkDes will create a new education programme and an annual commission aimed at young people and children. ArkDes’ renowned programme of temporary exhibitions will continue in 2024 with Designing Motherhood, an exhibition about design’s role in pregnancy, birth and motherhood in countries and cultures around the world.
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