A poetic and pragmatic solution

House of Sweden is an exhibition for the Anna Lindh Exhibition Hall in the Swedish embassy in Washington DC. The aim with the framework created was to deliver a modular system that could represent the power of Sweden both in the exhibition hall and in the outside areas around the embassy. The system had to be neutral, poetic and pragmatic at the same time. It had to be flexible and to be adjustable to exhibitions with different topics and themes over time. It was therefore important that its size and expression could be easily transformed.

From micro to macro

The display framework takes inspiration from a number of scales – the macro scale of objects they display, the meso scale of the building and the macro scale of Sweden as a whole. Through the meso scale, the design plays with the internal space of the exhibition hall as well as with the building’s overall geometric architecture, materiality, play of light and transparency. While on a macro scale, it takes inspiration from the geography and landscape of Sweden, coupled with the Swedish heritage of craft and design.

The exhibition furniture consists of eight species of Swedish timber. Seven cone forms with an exposed display frame host several temporary exhibitions planned for the future. These thin wooden structures have integrated lights but no cords. To reach this, a low voltage system was developed and implemented into the magnetics that keep the modules together. This ties in with the studio belief that, in order to create effective exhibition space, teaming up with a lighting designer is essential.

“With strong references to a contemporary Sweden, democracy, materials and innovation, we wished, through the exhibition design, to create associations and interest in Sweden worldwide.” Johan Carlsson