Around the turn of the 20th century, a new aesthetic is formed in Sweden. In a time marked by industrialization, urbanization, and close international contacts, young architects, artists, and designers break away from the historicizing styles of the 1800s and begin to seek an expression that is their own and reflects the era.
Art nouveau - or jugend as it is called in Sweden – becomes an expression of this pursuit, with its flowing lines and emphasis on the qualities of materials. The newly published anthology Jugend i Sverige: Nyfikenhet och lust from Stolpe förlag focuses on the period around the turn of the 20th century, a very expansive time in Sweden as well as in other parts of Europe and North America.
Anders Houltz contributes a chapter on art nouveau within industrial architecture and how the new aesthetic was expressed in industrial buildings.
Watch the lecture with Anders Houltz: The Rational Challenge
Anders Houltz explains how the second industrial revolution – electrification, science-based process industry, and mass production – directly shaped Swedish art nouveau and national romantic architecture around 1890–1915.
The seminar was held on October 23, 2025, at Oscarsteatern in Stockholm.
