ArkDes Launches New Research Directions

Imagine (Föreställ dig), Transformation (Omvandling), In the North (I norr), and Living Together (Bo tillsammans). These are ArkDes’s new research directions—designed to guide the organisation’s work in the years to come.

– When we look around the world, it is clear that these four areas are the most urgent to engage with right now. Architecture and design is a wide and deep field. To base our work on solid knowledge and research, we must identify the most important questions of our time. With a clear strategic focus, we can develop ArkDes’s work in the long term, share knowledge with a wide public, and serve as a space for people to come together and discuss the future of architecture and design, says Karin Nilsson, Acting Director of ArkDes.

These research directions will shape all aspects of ArkDes’s work—informing research and collecting, exhibitions, public programmes, and education. They are also part of the institution’s efforts to contribute to Sweden’s national objective for architecture, design, and the designed living environment. Together, they clarify ArkDes’s role as a platform for critical discussion and new perspectives in architecture and design.

Imagine (Föreställ dig)

Everything begins with an idea. Imagine focuses on the creative processes behind architecture and design. It explores how ideas are formed, developed, and sometimes realised—and what determines whether they are carried through or not. What are the limits of imagination?

Transformation (Omvandling)

Transformation investigates how architecture and design can support sustainability. This includes reuse, reprogramming, adaptation, renovation, and recycling—approaches that can strengthen local communities and cityscapes while contributing to long-term sustainable development.

In the North (I norr)

The Arctic regions of Sweden, Norway, and Finland are undergoing major change as a result of the green transition. Investments in fossil-free steel, battery production, renewable energy, and large-scale infrastructure are reshaping landscapes and societies. This direction examines the effects of industrial expansion, who has access to resources, how cultural heritage is impacted, and how respect for local knowledge and traditions is maintained.

Living Together (Bo tillsammans)

How do we live together? Living Together examines how the physical components of society—homes, streets, squares, neighbourhoods, and the spaces in between—relate to one another. It explores how design and architecture help define shared and conflicting interests in public and private space. How can dialogue emerge between opposing needs, values, and perspectives?