Wondering about the tale behind this striking building? This is B\u00fcnsowska huset. It stands proudly on Strandv\u00e4gen. This exclusive apartment building has a rich history. Let’s delve into the story of B\u00fcnsowska huset.
B\u00fcnsowska huset was built between 1886 and 1888. It was commissioned by Friedrich B\u00fcnsow. He was a wealthy timber merchant. The building occupies the entire block. It is surrounded by Riddargatan, Grev Magnigatan, Torstenssonsgatan and Strandv\u00e4gen.
The architecture of B\u00fcnsowska huset is remarkable. Isak Gustaf Clason designed the facades. Anders Gustaf Forsberg designed the floor plans. Clason won a competition for the facade design. He created asymmetrical towers and window groupings. He believed asymmetry added life to the building. Clason wanted the facade to reflect the interior layout. He did not want it to be just applied decoration. His sketches were inspired by Loire Valley castles.
The facades feature carefully chosen materials. German form-pressed bricks are laid in patterns. Some are black glazed bricks. Light limestone frames the windows. It also forms the cornices and ground floor. This design was a reaction against the plastered facades of the 1880s. Those facades used imitation materials. B\u00fcnsowska huset used genuine materials like brick and natural stone.
Above the entrance at Strandv\u00e4gen 31 are portraits of Friedrich B\u00fcnsow and his wife Allona. Legend says the doors are made from salvaged ship timber. The building had some of Stockholm’s first elevators. It also had electricity, bathrooms and toilets from the start.
Look closely at the facade. You can see Friedrich B\u00fcnsow’s initials “FB” above a balcony window. The floor plans feature grand apartments. They included salons, studies, dining rooms and kitchens. There were bathrooms, bedrooms, and servants’ quarters. Each apartment even had a separate kitchen staircase. Salons were central. They were located in corner rooms and the middle of each suite facing Strandv\u00e4gen. Balconies mark these rooms.
Originally, each floor had only five apartments of various sizes. They were accessed by three main staircases with elevators. Other modern features included toilets and electric lighting. H\u00e5kan Larsson was the builder. He also built the Nordic Museum. Claes Gustaf Norstr\u00f6m, B\u00fcnsow’s son-in-law, was involved in both projects. He later owned B\u00fcnsowska huset.
The apartments in B\u00fcnsowska huset were highly sought after. They were known for their high standards. The fixed decor was very exclusive. Each room had unique decorations matching its function. Studies had Moorish styles. Corner rooms had Italian Renaissance decor. Dining rooms had earlier Italian Renaissance styles. Bedrooms were light and airy with simpler decorations. Architect Agi Lindegren described the style as Louis XIV. He noted its extravagant luxury and rococo ornamentation.
Tenants furnished their apartments elaborately. This style is now considered heavy and ornate. It included double carpets, dark curtains and draped doorways. These were adorned with fringes, tassels and embroidery. Decorative tables and large plants filled the few empty spaces.
B\u00fcnsowska huset even appears in literature. Hjalmar S\u00f6derberg described it as a knight’s poem in stone. He admired the brickwork’s irregular color shifts. He felt it looked like it had weathered centuries of storms. Interestingly, there’s almost an exact copy of B\u00fcnsowska huset’s eastern part in Helsinki. It is called the Argos House. John Settergren, who had worked for Clason, designed it.
B\u00fcnsowska huset stands as a testament to architectural innovation. It shows luxurious living in late 19th-century Stockholm. It remains a protected cultural landmark. The B\u00fcnsowska huset is a beautiful building.