Folkhemmets småhusbyggande Bostadspolitikens och arkitekturidealens roll i utformningen av egnahemsområdet Kyrkbyn

Abstract

This thesis revolves around the correlation between the social housing politics and the architectual ideals that effected the shaping of one family houses in Sweden. The examined timeperiod is the post war era between 1945 and 1964. During this period single family houses stood for about 30 percent of the total housing production in Sweden. To analyze the national goals and ideas for this buildings on a physical level, an area in Kyrkbyn in Gothenburg is used as an example throughout the essay. The purpose of the essay is to examine what, and in which degree, has affected the shaping of this types of areas. It is necessary for the conservation field to get more knowledge about this type of settlements. To understand and value them you can't solely view the architecture, there is a need to see these areas as a mix of political, architectual and socio-economic factors. As an example the public loans that where given to build the houses stated that the house couldn't be bigger then 90 square meters. The maximum amount of loan was fixed at 49 500 swedish kronor. This is the type of factors that affected the shaping of the houses. By seeing them and analyzing how they are reflected in the architectual design, you can get a broader understanding of why the houses and areas where shaped as they were. One of the conclusions I reach is that the governments directives had a superior position, compared to the architectual design. If a design where to big or to expensive for the citizens, they didn't get the public loan and couldn't afford to build. The architects adjusted to this and found smart solutions to design pleasant housings. The emphasis laid in the planning of a practical home more then on an ornated and expensive facades. In the area of Kyrkbyn I try to separate what is a solution to a governmental directive from what is parts of a detached architectual style of the time.