Designed Living Environment – Sustainability, Quality and Economics

How should we live, work, and shape our lives to address the economic, social, and environmental challenges of transitioning to a sustainable society? The 2023 follow-up report on the Policy for Designed Living Environment focuses on one of the policy’s key targets: ensuring that sustainability and quality are not overshadowed by short-term economic considerations.

Titled ‘Sustainability, Quality, and Economy,’ the report is an annual review commissioned by the Swedish Ministry of Culture. It highlights the policy’s core belief in the transformative power of design and the role of architecture, form, design, art, and cultural environments in building a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive society.

Drawing on expert interviews, research studies, case examples, and surveys with architecture, construction, and real estate firms, ArkDes emphasizes in the report the need to reassess working methods and funding models to prioritize sustainability and quality in architecture, design, construction, and management.

On March 6, 2024, the report was presented during a digital breakfast seminar. Together with experts in the field, ArkDes discussed the policy’s successes and challenges while offering concrete insights and recommendations for the future.