Visual
     Stories

This colourful wall painting was painted back in 1947 by Bo Beskow, a Swedish painter and writer. They have managed to keep the painting well preserved even though they have made a big reconstruction with the building, which used to be a tobacco factory but is now an architectural office.

The Garnisonen, nestled in the heart of Östermalm, is a living testament to Sweden’s architectural development, innovative vision and cultural significance. Once a military base, its historic kasern buildings and bold 1970s architecture now house modern offices and public services with courtyards and artwork.
Each building in Garnisonen is characterised by its own distinctive colour – blue, yellow, red or green – set against the raw concrete surfaces typical of the time. Visiting the rooftop terrace and seeing the concrete of Garnisonen from above, surrounded by the old buildings of the neighbourhood, gives such a sense of wonder and amazement – who would ever believe it looks like this from above? The Future Heritage in a nutshell.

Details of indoor architecture which can be an abstraction

“Kopparhuset” at Hornsgatan was one of the first buildings in Sweden with a car elevator. During Open House Stockholm we were guided to this gem either by these stairs or by elevator.

Separatorhuset is Alfa Laval’s former headquarters, a beautiful building from 1901. Magical to step into a bygone century where the interior is so lavish and well preserved.

Future heritage is made at architecture schools, were future architects are also made…

I was biking to the pool early one morning over Årstabron, between Årsta and Södermalm, when I noticed this little dance of people, bikes, and trains, and somehow it symbolized life in the big city in a beautiful way.

This video explores the connection between architecture, cultural heritage, and the energy of young people. It was created by two underage girls—young creative minds, who are at the heart of this story together with the OPEN Bilbao festival map. They are the ones who will shape tomorrow’s heritage with fresh ideas and innovation.
To build Future Heritage, a deep respect for the past and present is essential. The video shows how young people engage with their city to understand its history and current reality, to be able to imagine new possibilities for the future.
By exploring their urban environment, the two girls become active custodians of their heritage, blending curiosity with responsibility. Their involvement demonstrates that understanding and valuing the city’s past and present is key to building a meaningful and sustainable future—one that truly belongs to them.

Social resistance manifests itself in urban spaces in the form of marks. These are personal stamps that seek to convey messages of protest. They are a way for individuals to make themselves seen, to give voice to their ideals, and to influence their surroundings; because just as people transform spaces, these spaces, in turn, shape those who inhabit them.

A concrete rectangle reaching into the water marks the beginning of the Zorrotzaurre peninsula, Bilbao’s most anticipated urban development project, which has already witnessed many acts of intervention and preservation since its past as one of the city’s key industrial areas. Behind it, the mountains and rising buildings signal a city growing vertically and evolving much like the island itself.
While the background is in constant changes, offering the city and its inhabitants a new horizon to look at, the concrete rectangle stands as a silent, durable base, at times revealing and hiding part of its depth with the ebb and flow of the Nervión. This concrete square serves as a foundation, a base for what may be built above and the changes to come.