BETONGENS VÄRDE Antikvariens perspektiv på senmodernistisk betongarkitektur

Abstract

This bachelor’s thesis is part of the Building Conservation Program at the Department of Conservation, University of Gothenburg. The study focuses on how heritage professionals understand and express their perspectives on cultural heritage in relation to late modernist concrete architecture from the 1960s and 1970s. The aim of the thesis is to investigate how professional heritage officers’ perceptions of cultural heritage are manifested in their work with this type of architecture. Using cultural heritage theory – particularly the concept of Authorized Heritage Discourse (AHD) – and based on qualitative interviews with practicing heritage officers, the study explores how values are formed and the negotiated in heritage assessment processes. The analysis reveals that heritage officers often face challenges in communicating the cultural and historical value of post-war architecture to the public, which is frequently perceived as unattractive or controversial. Nevertheless, the respondents recognize the historical and cultural significance of these environments. A tension emerges between expert assessments and public perceptions of such architecture. Furthermore, the study shows how dominant heritage discourses influence the work of heritage officers through laws, policies, and frameworks, such as the Planning and Building Act (PBL), the Heritage Conservation Act (KML), and the Swedish National Heritage Board’s platform for heritage assessment. However, heritage officers are not strictly bound by these structures; instead, they interpret and adapt them depending on context. The findings highlight how the architecture of the Swedish “record years” challenges traditional notions of what is considered worth preserving. The thesis concludes that cultural heritage is not a fixed category, but something that is shaped in dialogue between experts and society. It also emphasizes the need for further research into how various stakeholders – including politicians, municipalities, and residents – influence heritage practices, especially regarding modern architecture. Finally, the study underlines the importance of broadening our understanding of cultural heritage to include environments that may be perceived as unattractive or controversial but nonetheless constitute part of our shared cultural narrative.