Sigurd Lewerentz: Architect of Death and Life

The Swedish architect Sigurd Lewerentz (1885–1975) is a key figure in the history of modern architecture, but his influence grew slowly and organically thanks to the enthusiasm of critics and practitioners for his work since his death. The Swedish centre for architecture and design (ArkDes) recently opened a definitive exhibition on his life and work, curated by Johan Örn and Kieran Long, and published the monograph Sigurd Lewerentz: Architect of Death and Life. In this talk, Long speaks about the work of Lewerentz, about curating the thousands of objects in Lewerentz’s archive, and about how the tension between Lewerentz’s life’s work and mainstream modernism raises question about citizenship, technology, and the welfare state.