Rural as a Frontier : Architecture as a Tool to Strengthen Rural Areas in Rural Sweden

The architect in Sweden has a weaker role than ever, participating in a dysfunctional building industry that is not capable of providing the high quality and progressive built environment that we need. There is a need for critical examination to find what could make the role more relevant today. This thesis is in search of that role and how it could contribute to society. To explore this I shall focus on rural Norrland, in particular how architecture can be used to strengthen these areas by implementing strategies that increase self-sufficiency and governance. This research is carried out through four live, collaborative case studies with two communities in rural locations. The first two being set on Holmön exploring permit-free buildings as a means to grow and challenge the municipality as well as a collective project creating benches. The third is exploring how a private project can develop and contribute to the local area through retaining local knowledge. The fourth and most extensive is the creation of a co-funded, community run apartment and community building in Klimpfjäll. Through the reflection on the progress of these projects a methodology of working is discussed to outline a way of working that could impact the building industry, expand the role of the architect and positively impact the rural areas to ultimately create a more socially and environmentally sustainable society