Experimenting within Swedish Competitions

Book chapter, 2018

This chapter discusses the use of competitions in Sweden, as well as their operational framework and formats. Competitions will be commented upon as a professional laboratory and an experimental arena for the development of innovative solutions. Architectural competitions, as presented on the homepage of Architects Sweden, represent a professional culture, and a way for understanding a special practice passed on to students, architects, architectural firms and potential organisers. The architectural competition as a key concept includes various kinds of competition procedures that are described on the homepage of Architects Sweden; however, it does not include parallel commissions. At the first level of the competition, design solutions are presented with panels. Architects Sweden is actively trying to introduce students to the competition culture. Architects Sweden promotes the competition as a professional laboratory and an arena for new thinking in architecture and urban design.