Why Stockholm's 1930s Housing Projects Are Now in High Demand
Facing a housing crunch almost a century ago, Sweden’s capital built ‘Barnrikehus’ for low-income families. Today the rent-controlled apartments are some of the city’s more sought-after properties.
Barnrikehus at Hasselquistvagen in the Hammarbyhöjden neighborhood in southern Stockholm on Dec. 7.
Photographer: Mikael Sjoberg/Bloomberg(This article is part of our ongoing series exploring the iconic home designs that shaped global cities. Read more from the series and sign up to get the next story sent directly to your inbox.)
It’s easy to see why the 1930s housing blocks that ring inner Stockholm are sought after. Plain but inviting midrise modernist buildings, clad in brick or pastel colored plaster, these city-built tenements combine suburban calm with a handy location. Find a space in one, and you can get into town quickly but still live on an all-but silent street overlooking lawns and spindly birches.