Research

Research at ArkDes

*The Nature House, Stockholm. 1975–77. Architect: Bengt Warne. Illustrator: Leif Qvist. ArkDes collection.*

ArkDes is a knowledge-driven public agency with a mission to strengthen understanding of and interest in the values and importance of architecture, form, and design for individuals and for society.

With this broad mandate, ArkDes contributes to the creation of safe, attractive, and well-designed environments. Through a combination of museum work, public programming, and involvement in architecture and design policy, ArkDes acts both as a custodian of cultural heritage and as an active player in shaping future communities.

A holistic approach to research

Research at ArkDes is a creative and systematic effort to increase knowledge of architecture and design and to identify new applications for existing knowledge. It takes two main forms.

Collection-based research is rooted in ArkDes’s extensive collection, which spans from the 1850s to today and includes more than four million objects. By analysing and activating this unique archive of drawings, photographs, models, and documents, new perspectives on architectural and design history are developed, and the collection’s relevance in the present is reinforced. Results are shared through exhibitions, publications, and public programmes.

Practice-based research is carried out in close collaboration with municipalities, regions, academia, industry, and other partners. These projects respond to identified societal challenges such as housing shortages, segregation, climate change, and public safety. Working within local contexts allows theory to be tested in practice and helps generate solutions that support local development and can be applied more widely.

Four guiding research themes

ArkDes’s research is guided by four themes that inform the entire organisation and serve as a platform for new ideas and perspectives.

Imagine (Föreställ dig)

Focuses on the creative processes behind architecture and design. This theme explores how visionary ideas emerge, take shape, and sometimes become reality. It examines how design can help imagine alternative ways of living, challenge norms, and inspire new solutions.

Transformation (Omvandling)

Examines how architecture and design can contribute to the green transition. The theme looks at how existing structures can be reused, adapted, and transformed to create sustainable environments that preserve historical qualities while meeting contemporary needs.

In the North (I norr)

Centres on the Arctic regions of Sweden, Norway, and Finland. The theme highlights how industrial development affects cultural landscapes and communities, and it brings attention to local knowledge, traditions, and values in the region.

Living Together (Bo tillsammans)

Explores how we share space, resources, and responsibilities in everyday life. The research investigates how design and architecture influence our ways of living together in homes, neighbourhoods, and public spaces, and how environments can support social cohesion and inclusion.

Collaboration and practical application

Practice-based research at ArkDes is carried out by interdisciplinary teams in direct dialogue with municipalities, citizens, and other local actors. Together, they test new methods and approaches. These projects offer municipalities the opportunity to try out ideas before scaling them up.

The research results are not only used locally. They also inform tools and strategies that benefit the wider society. Through its role in the Council for Sustainable Cities, ArkDes helps ensure that insights from specific projects contribute to broader urban development initiatives. The goal is to support Sweden in leading the way in creating environments that are both functional and aesthetically well designed.

Quality assurance and international frameworks

To ensure research quality, ArkDes collaborates with leading experts in architecture, design, and related fields. Unit heads responsible for research are part of an independent advisory group that follows and reviews the work over a three-year period. Research is also guided by international and national frameworks, including The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity (ALLEA) ↗, the Swedish Research Council’s FAIR ↗ data guidelines, and the Swedish government’s research policy Kunskap i samverkan (Prop. 2016/17:50).

ArkDes’s research platform

By combining collection-based and practice-based research with the four thematic directions, ArkDes provides a dynamic platform for generating new perspectives. The organisation contributes to building national knowledge in architecture and design and supports a sustainable and inclusive society. Research at ArkDes is both a source of knowledge and an active process where practice and theory come together to shape the built environment of tomorrow.

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