Sven Gottfrid Markelius (25 October 1889 – 24 February 1972) was a Swedishmodernistarchitect. Markelius played an important role in the post-war urban planning of Stockholm, for example in the creation of the model suburbs of Vällingby (1950s) and Farsta (1960s).[1][2]
In 1931, he co-authored the book-length manifesto "acceptera", promoting modernism as a set of cultural values. His association with Swedish reformer Alva Myrdal (1902–1986) resulted in a design for a 57-unit communal-living Collective House in the center of Stockholm, in 1935. The building offered communal amenities like childcare facilities and shared kitchen and meeting spaces, all at least partly inspired by the Narkomfin Building in Moscow. Markelius lived in the Collective House himself for thirty years, serving as an unofficial handyman, to make sure the building still worked, and to demonstrate his commitment to the values of social housing.[5]
Meanwhile, among his major civic projects, Markelius began work on the Concert Hall in Helsingborg in 1932. In 1952, Markelius was nominated to the board of design consultants for the United Nations Secretariat Building by Sweden. Towards the end of his career the architect turned his attention to city planning.
