Vår Tids Konst ‹ Lundgren+Lindqvist

Project: Vår Tids Konst
Author: Karl Palmås & Kalle Sanner
Client: LL'Editions & Blackbook Publications
Type: Publication Design
Year: 2024

In 2023, Gothenburg celebrated its 400th anniversary. At the same time, a new cityscape emerged. This architecture can be compared to that completed during the city’s previous anniversary in 1923. It can also be related to a longer tradition of buildings constructed in connection with anniversaries and world exhibitions.

From this perspective, sociologist Karl Palmås and photographer Kalle Sanner explore Gothenburg’s built environment. In a survey that includes film, photography, and text, they trace the visions of the future that underpin the city’s new buildings. Supported by discussions with architecture critic Mark Isitt and author Lydia Sandgren, they pose the question: In what way does the anniversary architecture represent the art of our time?

Lundgren+Lindqvist designed Vår Tids Konst, a publication that combines the qualities of a photobook with those of a critical essay. The design prioritizes both form and function, resulting in a book that fits comfortably in the hand and is easily portable, whether in a pocket or briefcase—a work intended for repeated engagement.

The cover features a bold typographic skyline punctuated by die-cut holes in the shape of a clock face. This circular motif serves as a dual symbol: it underscores how architecture reflects its era—a central theme of the book—and mirrors the photographer’s 360° exploration of Gothenburg’s urban landscape, with the 247-meter-high Karla Tower as its visual anchor.

During the sequencing process, it became evident that the Karla Tower—standing 74 floors tall and earning its place as the tallest building in the Nordic countries—featured prominently in most of the images. This reflects the current transformation of Gothenburg, where the iconic structure, completed in 2024, dominates the evolving cityscape and serves as an unavoidable navigational reference point. Consequently, the decision was made to exclude any images that did not feature the Karla Tower. In the final sequence, the tower varies in prominence, appearing at times as the focal subject, at others as a distant silhouette, or even as a fleeting reflection in nearby windows.

The book’s inlay incorporates two distinct paper types: uncoated stock for the text chapters and coated stock for the image sections. Each transition to an image section is marked by a blank, uncoated page featuring the central circle from the cover illustration, subtly rendered in white foil on white. This design element not only signifies the shift from the tactile, matte surface of the uncoated paper to the glossy finish of the coated stock but also mirrors the thematic transition—from the critical reflections of author Karl Palmås, reinforced with interviews with architecture critic Mark Isitt and author Lydia Sandgren, to the visual narrative of the city as captured through the lens of photographer Kalle Sanner.

To complement the trade edition, a special edition was produced, housed in a custom-designed corner-stapled box with a die-cut lid. This edition includes a copy of the book signed by both authors, a choice of one of two prints made on Baryta paper—stamped, signed, and numbered by the photographer—and a bookmark crafted from barrier tape, a material familiar to Gothenburg’s residents due to decades of extensive construction projects reshaping the city. For the book release, held at ADA – Formcenter Väst in December 2024, we hand-perforated brown paper bags, which were gifted to everyone who purchased a copy of the book.

The book was published by LL’Editions and Blackbook Publications and is available for purchase through LL’Editions.

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

Lundgren+Lindqvist - Vår Tids Konst

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Karl Palmås (b. 1976) is a researcher whose work focuses on the relationship between the built and the conceptual. Drawing on sociological perspectives and visual methods, he studies how design professions shape the built environment. Palmås is currently an Associate Professor of Innovation and Societal Change at the Division of Science, Technology, and Society, Department of Technology Management and Economics, at Chalmers University of Technology.

Kalle Sanner (b. 1978) is a photographer exploring the interplay between spatiality and perception. His practice in architectural photography encompasses both self-initiated projects and commissions for cultural institutions, architectural firms, and design studios. Sanner has previously worked as Head of Unit for Film, Photography, and Literary Composition at HDK-Valand and is currently the Executive Director of the Hasselblad Foundation.

LL’Editions is a Gothenburg-based publishing house that produces books and art objects in collaboration with artists and photographers, both in Sweden and internationally.

Blackbook Publications is an artist-run, collective publishing initiative focused on contemporary Scandinavian photography.

LL’Editions and Blackbook Publications have previously co-published Lukas/Markus by Kalle Sanner (2018), featuring an essay by Karl Palmås.