Houses made of slag – many have never seen them, others stand in awe of the slag bricks that shimmer in blue, green, gray and even change color with the light. Intriguing structures, tiny lumps of iron, charcoal striations – what can’t you find when you take a closer look at the building material? What is it, many people ask today. When were the houses built? Why was cinder block made?

Slagstone is our first artificial building stone, used in ore fields as an alternative to building timber. The forest was needed for the production of charcoal, the fuel for smelting ore and the extraction of copper and iron. The metals were exported, bringing income to Sweden and raising people’s standard of living. Slag was a by-product of metal production. The metals have been sold around the world, the workplaces are closed down and gone – but the slag remains and tells us – about ores and technological development, about heavy manual labor and skilled craftsmanship. No two cinder blocks are the same. Never again can one be made.

DESCRIPTION The book aims to raise awareness of the buildings. The oldest ones date from the 18th century, the youngest from the early 20th century. They are churches or cellars and everything in between. The pictures aim to show how amazing the buildings are and the text provides information about their background, construction and care. The hope is that people will be inspired to take pride in the slag houses and care for these unique buildings, made from a material that is irreplaceable today.

TIP Don’t forget to take a look at our beautiful Bagarstuga in Gysinge, which is built of cinder block.

The Colors of the Garden City explains what is special about the centuries-old cultural environments of Bromma and other garden cities in Sweden. What is it that makes the garden city such an attractive form of living even for modern people? What gives character to the urban plan and to buildings and gardens from eras with different stylistic ideals? Learn the differences between the National Romanticism of the 1910s, the Neoclassicism of the 1920s and the Functionalism of the 1930s.

The authors began their mapping of garden cities in Sweden as early as the 1980s, by producing material with color schemes and character descriptions for typical houses of the time. Parts of the material are now in a permanent exhibition in Måleributiken in Alvik and have been shown at the City Museum 2013-2015.

The purpose of the book is to draw attention to the unique cultural values of the garden city for all of us and at the same time inspire you as a homeowner to learn more about architecture and coloring. A cultural environment needs to be protected and your house needs continuous care and attention. When repairing and renovating your house – make sure you do not damage the house due to ignorance.

Stora boken om byggnadsvård is the bible for anyone who longs for an old house. Göran Gudmundsson, founder of the Gysinge Center for Building Conservation, writes knowledgeably and passionately about renovation inside and out, in the city and in the country. Here you get answers to everything you need to know about old houses, from foundation to chimney. And help you think. Both in terms of maintenance and choice of renovation materials, as well as how to solve requirements for functioning kitchens, bathrooms and heating, without losing the genuine feeling. Knowledge of building historical style ideals, and why our old houses look the way they do, is mixed with recipes for mud paint and linseed oil paint, tips on how to paint stencils, print wallpaper borders, repair tiles, soap scrub floors and renovate windows – a lot of concrete advice for those who want to try it themselves.

A practical book about tradition, comfort, quality and reuse for those who want to create a home with soul! The book can be seen as a continuation of Göran Gudmundsson’s popular book series “Byggnadsvård i praktiken”.

Building conservation and reuse

How did a dilapidated barn, an abandoned croft, a crumbling manor house, an uninhabitable military barracks and a smelly city apartment get a new lease of life and a new soul? Where did they start? How did they know where to look? And what did they skip?

About the author: Göran Gudmundsson’s new major book is a goldmine for anyone who loves old houses with tradition and flair. Here he tells the story of five comprehensive renovation projects with widely differing conditions. With great expertise, he describes the whole process – before, during and after – and shows in detail how to find the traces of the old, look for renovation materials, color and wallpaper. And not least, how to deal with the various options available. How should you think about original colors and old building materials – if you are also going to live in the house? Is it right or wrong?

“Many people think that building conservation is not for them. I want to change that. I want to show that EVERYONE – not just owners of old houses but also those who have an older apartment, who want to convert an abandoned farmhouse into a holiday home or are just generally interested in the environment and recycling – can find inspiration in the old way of building and decorating. Because if you choose to build new with old methods and used materials, you also get the soul in the bargain.”