Erik Gunnar Asplund
1885-1940
“His name has summoned architects from all over the world to the Woodland Crematorium near Stockholm. They are impressed by the atmosphere of consummate architecture – of singular space. The Crematorium with the Faith, Hope and Charity Chapel was Gunnar Asplund´s last work. The Chapel of Hope was consecrated with his funeral in 1940. With his shining, vital and light pavilion architecture he transformed the 1930 Stockholm Exhibition into a festival site for four million visitors and established functionalism in Sweden.
His three-dimensional visions emboided the hope of new era. Today the postmodernist jet-set are inspired by Asplund´s classical 20´s, his ability to unite space and clarity, simplicity and elegance. He was apperently able to add his personal tone to every style. The chair for the (Swedish) Societey for Industrial Design is a contemporary evocation of a Biedermeiner armchair. A brilliant demonstration of a timeless formula for comfort.”
Gunilla Lundahl