2_3_ScanMagazine_Issue_81_Oct-Nov_2015_Scan Magazine 1 15/10/2015 21:35 Page 42
Utopia came up with the idea to extend the park Högalidsparken to the roof of the building at Hornsbruksgatan in Stockholm.
Saving the world one building at time Utopia wants to do things differently, and they are not afraid to take a stand. The Stockholm-based architecture office is at the forefront of the innovative thinking that is much needed in the industry, according to CEO Emma Jonsteg.
part in creating a somewhat better society. Utopia was started with the simple aim of maximising the number of such opportunities,” Jonsteg says.
By Ellinor Thunberg | Photos: Utopia
Architects are traditionally brought in as doers relatively late in the process, but Utopia works proactively as advisors from an early stage. “We contribute visions as well as overall solutions and strategies on how to create greater value at a place and for a company, the residents and the public,” says Jonsteg. She explains that they spend a great deal of time coming up with the idea behind
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this and the process takes its starting point in site-specific challenges. Standing up for change Being proactive and site-specific was not the only clear vision when Jonsteg and her colleague Mattias Litström founded Utopia in 2008. They also wanted to give something back to society. “Working as an architect means that you, every now and then, get the opportunity to play an active
Creating a better society can also involve taking a stand in global issues, and Utopia was recently the initiator of a campaign in the industry raising funds to help refugees. They started by contributing 50,000 SEK and added another 1,000 SEK for every other architecture firm following in their footsteps. Pioneering in the industry Jonsteg herself is not only the CEO at Utopia, but also a board member of the