No Man’s Land (Ingenmansland)

What kind of architecture defines Sweden’s refugee reception? Where is it located, and how is it organized? What roles and functions does architecture serve in these contexts?

Every story of seeking refuge in Sweden involves a range of physical environments—spaces where people arrive, are housed, and are moved to. These include government offices, reception centers, temporary shelters, and detention facilities—parts of Swedish society that many never encounter.

In early March 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Sweden, alongside other EU countries, to prepare for a potentially large influx of refugees. This situation brought crisis management, capacity, and the organization of Sweden’s refugee reception into focus. In response, ArkDes commissioned HallemarHejdelind to study and map the physical spaces and environments encountered by those seeking refuge in Sweden.

The report, ‘No Man’s Land – A Preliminary Study on the Architecture of Sweden’s Refugee Reception,’ explores these environments and their architectural features. Authors Dan Hallemar and Veronica Hejdelind visited and documented reception centers, evacuation housing, transit accommodations, and detention facilities, offering a unique insight into the architecture of Sweden’s refugee reception system.