Kulturista - Cultural Experiences in West Sweden

C U LT U R E E X P E R I E N C E S I N W E S T S W E D E N 9 NATURUM VÄNERSKÄRGÅRDEN – VICTORIA- HUSET, BY LÄCKÖ CASTLE Designed by architectural firm White Arkitekter, the visitors’ centre Naturum Vänerskärgården – Victoriahuset has been designed to allow you to get as close to nature as possible. So much so that, from a distance, it’s difficult to distin- guish the centre from the thickets of reeds that surround it. The building’s architecture was in- spired by nearby Lake Vänern’s delicate reeds and rough driftwood. THE MÖBELDAGAR EVENT, TIBRO The future classics of furniture design are born in Tibro. Offecct, SA Möbler, Lundbergs and Ire Möbel all have their offices here and sell directly to the public from the factory floor during the last weekend in September, giving visitors the chance to scoop up designer furniture and textiles at bargain prices. Visitors to Tibro can also discover the town’s impressive history in furniture manufacturing at Inredia and enjoy a tasty meal at its restaurant. BRITTGÅRDEN, TIBRO British architect Ralph Erskine (1914-2005) came to Sweden on a study tour in 1939 and decided to stay. He spent the decade between 1959 and 1969 designing Tibro’s Brittgården residential district. Today, visitors to Brittgården can book guided tours of the district and view a typical 1960s flat. Erskine’s dream was to create a community inside a community. As a result, Brittgården included different kinds of buildings, a few owner-occupied houses and a children’s day-care centre. No cars were permitted to enter the district. THE HOUSE OF STRAW, BENGTSFORS Originally designed and manufactured in Ärtemark Parish, Dalsland Province, the Ärtemarkshatten was one of the late-19th century’s best-selling straw hats, not only in Sweden, but also in the US. The House of Straw in Bengtsfors, Dalsland, gives visitors the chance to learn more about the history of straw and the women who wove the once- famous hats. The centre’s large boutique, which sells straw goods handcrafted by around 100 local artisans, is a fine example of how tradition and the modern age can come together in handicrafts. VOLVO & SAAB – THE HISTORY OF SWEDEN’S MOTOR INDUSTRY West Sweden is where the Swedish motor industry began and offers visiting enthusiasts a taste of industrial design history as good as any. The Saab Car Museum in Trollhättan (at Innovatum), tells the story of how Saab aeroplanes became cars. The Volvo Museum at Hisingen (Arendal) in Gothenburg showcases Volvo’s history from its founding in 1927; a journey through iconic car models, ground-breaking innovations and imaginative vehicle prototypes. RÖRSTRAND MUSEUM, LIDKÖPING The Rörstrand Museum showcases almost 300 years of the history of porcelain in Sweden, including everything from showpieces to utility goods. Its collections include pieces by renowned Swedish designers such as Marianne Westman, who will be forever remembered in Sweden as the creator of the immensely popular Mon Amie service. Also, pieces by Hertha Bengtsson and, not least of all, Inger Persson, designer of the colourful Pop teapot. The museum gives visitors the opportunity to im- merse themselves in Rörstrand’s history and to enjoy refreshments served on genuine Rörstrand porcelain. NÄÄS CASTLE AND SCHOOL OF CRAFTS The Swedish word “slöjd” (meaning “handi- craft”) became world-famous in the late 19th century thanks to the School of Crafts at Nääs, which attracted celebrities from across Europe. Today, the charming old schoolhouse is the venue for a large number of courses in how to maintain and repair buildings with historical and cultural significance. The local artist-run organisation Nääs Arts and Crafts also manages a gallery and shop on the site that showcase the latest in arts and crafts. STATION BUILDING, VARA You can sense its vibrant hue even before the building comes into view. The air positively shimmers with colour thanks to artist Katharina Grosse’s installation Blue Orange, which sits atop the electric blue-coloured station building in Vara. The installation was completed in 2012 and includes large sculptures that virtually take over the station’s entire rooftop. The work’s title is an allusion to Paul Éluard’s poem La terre est bleue comme une orange…