Landshövdingehus
Encyclopedia
Landshövdingehus (pl. landshövdingehus, roughly "Governor's house") is a building type unique for the Swedish
city of Gothenburg
. The history behind these buildings has its twists. 19th century city bylaws ruled that houses made of wood could be of maximum two storeys height, in order to protect against fires. However, one building association tried to circumvent the rule and submitted drawings for a building with the ground storey built of brick and two upper storeys of wood. The city building council did not accept the application. However, the county government ruled in favour of the proposal and the name ”landshövdingehus” was coined—landshövding meaning county governor and hus house.
The very first building of this kind was built 1875 in the city district of Annedal. Unfortunately it was demolished in the redevelopment of the 1970s, but many other examples of these buildings remain today.
Independent builders constructed the buildings, sometimes using architect drawings. Different owners could separate a courtyard into parcels divided by fences. Nowadays most of the area of Majorna and Kungsladugård is owned by a single entity (Familjebostäder, a municipal housing company), but in some courtyards this separation can still be seen. In Kungsladugård, the city plan by Albert Lilienberg and the original variation in ownership have given a building structure that balances variation and context in a very elegant way.
The first landshövdingehus in Annedal, built 1875, and others built in the period between 1875-1880 had a strictly classical style with limited decoration.
The landshövdingehus built around 1880-1890 attempted to imitate the more high-status stone houses. They used horizontal board panelling and rich profiling. Often they were decorated with bay or dormer windows, corner towers and/or rustication of the brick wall.
During the art nouveau
or jugend period of the 1920s, the colour of the houses changed to darker – often reddish brown – nuances. The façades were more elaborately detailed with balconies and portals.
The functionalist
period of the 1930s also influenced the style of the landshövdingehus. The façades were cleansed of decoration and the wooden panelling was nailed vertically. Usually the brick ground floor was plastered smooth.
The 1940s saw the end of the landshövdingehus saga with a new decree from the authorities: new landshövdingehus were forbidden as a fire precaution in case of war.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
city of Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. The history behind these buildings has its twists. 19th century city bylaws ruled that houses made of wood could be of maximum two storeys height, in order to protect against fires. However, one building association tried to circumvent the rule and submitted drawings for a building with the ground storey built of brick and two upper storeys of wood. The city building council did not accept the application. However, the county government ruled in favour of the proposal and the name ”landshövdingehus” was coined—landshövding meaning county governor and hus house.
The very first building of this kind was built 1875 in the city district of Annedal. Unfortunately it was demolished in the redevelopment of the 1970s, but many other examples of these buildings remain today.
Characteristics
A characteristic of all landshövdingehus is the combination of one brick and two wooden storeys. Most landshövdingehus were built for the working class. The apartments generally had a kitchen and one living room. Up to fifteen people could live in one apartment of this kind, due to the extreme shortage of housing at the time. The apartments usually provide a floorplan with light from two directions: a window in the kitchen orientated towards an inner courtyard, and a window in the living room facing the street.Independent builders constructed the buildings, sometimes using architect drawings. Different owners could separate a courtyard into parcels divided by fences. Nowadays most of the area of Majorna and Kungsladugård is owned by a single entity (Familjebostäder, a municipal housing company), but in some courtyards this separation can still be seen. In Kungsladugård, the city plan by Albert Lilienberg and the original variation in ownership have given a building structure that balances variation and context in a very elegant way.
Variety in style
Because of the comparatively long building period (1875-1950) of the ”landshövdingehus”, they show an interesting variation in style. The districts Majorna and Kungsladugård in western Gothenburg were saved from the demolition in the 1960s due to protest actions. Here you can find a large, contiguous area of houses and explore styles from an almost complete representation of the period, except from the very earliest period of building. In Lunden, the central-eastern part of Gothenburg there is also an area of renovated blocks of Landshövdingahus from the period 1920-1935 who have retained their original style.The first landshövdingehus in Annedal, built 1875, and others built in the period between 1875-1880 had a strictly classical style with limited decoration.
The landshövdingehus built around 1880-1890 attempted to imitate the more high-status stone houses. They used horizontal board panelling and rich profiling. Often they were decorated with bay or dormer windows, corner towers and/or rustication of the brick wall.
During the art nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...
or jugend period of the 1920s, the colour of the houses changed to darker – often reddish brown – nuances. The façades were more elaborately detailed with balconies and portals.
The functionalist
Functionalism (architecture)
Functionalism, in architecture, is the principle that architects should design a building based on the purpose of that building. This statement is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern...
period of the 1930s also influenced the style of the landshövdingehus. The façades were cleansed of decoration and the wooden panelling was nailed vertically. Usually the brick ground floor was plastered smooth.
The 1940s saw the end of the landshövdingehus saga with a new decree from the authorities: new landshövdingehus were forbidden as a fire precaution in case of war.
Locations
There are landshövdingehus in the following districts of Gothenburg:http://www.stadsbyggnad.goteborg.se/prod/stadsbyggnad/dalis2.nsf/81921c9652f3471ac1256a5c002ea985/0aa527d3d037b86dc1256c7e004ed68e!OpenDocument- Almedal
- Annedal
- BagaregårdenBagaregårdenBagaregården is a district in Gothenburg, Sweden which belongs to Örgryte borough.Most parts of the district were designed by town planner Albert Lilienberg. He was inspired by the Austrian architect Camillo Sitte...
- Brämaregården
- FärjestadenFärjestadenFärjestaden is a locality situated in Mörbylånga Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 4,636 inhabitants in 2005. It is located in the southern part on the island of Öland and is named after the ferries that used to be the only connection to the mainland...
- Gamlestaden
- GårdaGardaGarda may refer to:* An Garda Síochána, the national police of the Republic of Ireland* Lake Garda, a lake in northern Italy.* Garda , a commune on the shores of the Italian Lake Garda in the province of Verona....
- HagaHagaHaga is a surname and place name common to Norway, Sweden and Japan.It is also the Assamese word for stool . Haga may refer to:-People:*Arild Haga , Norwegian revue writer...
- Krokslätt
- Kungsladugård
- Kyrkbyn
- KålltorpKålltorpKålltorp is a district in Gothenburg, Sweden which belongs to Härlanda borough....
- LandalaLandalaLandala is a district in central Gothenburg, Sweden with about 4,500 inhabitants . Originally a traditional labour district with a large poorhouse, today Landala it is home for some important educational institutes in Western Sweden, such as Chalmers University of Technology, Hvitfeldtska gymnasiet...
- Lindholmen
- LundenLunden, ÖrgryteLunden is one of 8 districts in Örgryte borough, Gothenburg, Sweden.Lunden is situated immediately to the east of the central area of Gothenburg...
- MajornaMajorna (district)Majorna is a residential area in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is a part of the borough of the same name. It is located west of the city just outside the city centre at the southern shore of Göta älv....
- Olivedal
- Olskroken
- Rambergsstaden
- Redbergslid
- Sannegården
- Stigberget
- Vasastaden