The Women's Building Forum

Step into a pastel-coloured protest against dull housing.

In 1980, a group of women working in architecture and construction come together to form the Women’s Building Forum (Kvinnors Byggforum). They want to reshape housing, put everyday needs in focus, and challenge a male-dominated industry by centring women’s experiences.

Uninvited, they take part in the Boplats 80 exhibition in Kungsträdgården, Stockholm, building a full-scale apartment. The installation is a colourful and comfortable protest against the era’s often anonymous housing environments. In the apartment, the hallway and entrance are elevated as social spaces where neighbours might meet, and every design choice – from tiles to plants – carries a larger message: architecture affects everyone.

The installation attracts great attention, but also scepticism from the organisers: the Swedish Association of Architects. The action becomes the starting point of a long-term commitment to reimagine future housing and broaden who gets to shape the built environment.

In autumn 2025, a full-scale reconstruction of the Boplats 80 apartment will be on display in the ArkDes collection exhibition. Step into a pastel-coloured story of resistance, community, and the power to change.