My latest book received a positive review in Dagens Nyheter, Sweden's largest daily newspaper on February 25, 2023, and was rated 4 (out of 5) in the national library system Bibliotekstjänst. It has also been referenced most favorably by Monica Andersson on bostadspolitik.se.
En humanistisk klassicism (A Humanist Classicism) is about the idyllic, cooperative city districts that were built in Stockholm 1915-1930. This is pre-modernism progressive urbanism. I have dubbed it Humanist Classicism – the cooperative, urban version of Swedish Grace.
In an amazingly short time affordable workers' housing was constructed with all modern conveniences and with high artistic ambition. These districts were built by the then newly established Swedish housing cooperatives SKB and HSB.
Text, photo and illustration by Jan Rydén Bonmot. En humanistisk klassicism. Ornament, färger och materialitet i kooperativa bostadsområden I Stockholm 1915-1939 288 pages. Arvinius + Orfeus Publishing AB. In Swedish 2023. English manuscript available.
Architect Staffan Schartner is a pioneer both when it comes to social sustainability, using wood in multifamily housing, and building super-flexible buildings. In Trelleborg, Sweden's southernmost city he has designed a house 100% without steel and concrete, including the foundation which is out of wood and cellular glass. The roof is solar cells and glass with a community attic lounge offering views of the city park. The facade has re-used bricks. The program could be labeled "Mixed-Use Galore" as residents are free to do anything they want, residential or commercial, place walls wherever, and even remove the walls thanks to some innovative engineering. I am helping out with brand identity and overall marketing. Client: Staffan Schartner, Omniplan. Learn more at www.t4ovre.se
A speculative design project about the future of urban food production together with the City of Stockholm.
"The year is 2052. After recurring food crises during the 2020s and 2030s we have begun venerating food production in a whole new way. The Harvest Festival in the fall has replaced Christmas as the main holiday season of the year. Streets are decorated for block parties. Kids get presents. In the city food production takes place in cathedral-like buildings. "
Emotions will drive the change of future urban food practices.
Norra Matgårdsstaden , Urban Harvest 2052, is a cooperation between Jan Rydén Bonmot, Orvet Stockholm, Boris Design Studio/Manyone a och Stockholms stad. Financed through Vinnova's call Future Prototypes 2022.
Project site: urbanharvest2052.com
Articles about: Arkitektur När matjorden blir hårdvaluta
A name and a graphic identity for a new foundation that will promote sustainable development and fight inequality on a global scale. For the client I proposed about thirty possible names that would work internationally. I then developed a graphic identity and a logotype for the foundation. The work will become public in 2023. Client: TBA
Kolmårdens utvecklingsbolag (SVB), a local non-profit development company, is to build12-16 new cooperative rental apartments. The houses are co-created with us and designed using the input from the future residents. These buildings bring architectural and socio-economic qualities to the town. “We want apartments within rollator walker-distance from the center of town” say the seniors.
A collaboration with architect Per Franson. Client: Kolab
New meeting places and apartments in the town centre. We have made a proposal for a structural plan for the center of Krokek. The speed of car traffic is reduced by changing the surface cladding of main thoroughfare Sjöviksvägen, the connection to the old railway station is improved with a new stair. A new town square is created that may become a long missed meeting place in this small town. New rental apartments are built on top of the existing stores. In collaboration with Per Franson. Client: Söderstadens invest.
Allborgarrätten’ is a newly coined concept that promises to be the urban equivalent of the rural, traditional Swedish ‘allemansrätten’ – everyman’s right to roam freely in nature. The rural right is one most Swedes know by heart, even though they now live in cities. Through the Nordic lens, Rydén explores themes like the right to the city, national identity and connects it to a larger global discourse. Along with this verbal exploration Jan Rydén has created a series of pictograms, a pictorial grammar of sorts, which follows its own poetic logic. The book is published in both English and Swedish. Available at selected museum shops, or at www.arvinius.se, www.adlibris.se, www.bokus.com
The Grand Atelier is a concept for a light production workspace in a mixed-use housing environment. It was developed for the April Initiative Foundation in Luxembourg. The aim is to create a village that is a work of art, and provide affordable housing in Luxembourg that will attract young creatives. The village will promote a sustainable life style with permaculture. Alternative versions of the village concept has been developed with Luxembourg based architecture firm Dagli.
Inspired by the speculative design project that I am part of, Norra Matgårdsstaden, I have created a pattern: Aquaponica. The name is a pun, combining ”aquaponics” and ”Oryza Sativa Japonica”, the latin word for rice. The pattern is a sketch so far, to be perfected. It depicts some elements of an aquaponic system, where one grows plants in water that receive its nutrients from fish that one farms in a pond. A clever, circular system. The fish in the pattern are red Nile Tilapia, that are farmed in Sweden on land by among others the company Gårdsfisk, who call it Rödstrimma™. The plants in the pattern is a type of rice that has been farmed on an experimental level in Uppsala. This rice variety, ”Heijing 5 – Uppsala” is an evolution of a rice from northern China ”Heijing 5”. Uppsala is apparently the northernmost place in the world where rice has been grown.
