What kind of name is “Blue Hill”? Standing before you is Hagalund, a suburb of Stockholm. Today, it’s dominated by eight light-blue high-rise buildings. These buildings, nicknamed “Blåkulla”, which translates to “Blue Hill”, are a far cry from what Hagalund used to be. In the late 19th century, Hagalund was a charming working-class neighborhood. It was a tapestry of colorful wooden houses, a stark contrast to the regulated architecture of central Stockholm. Artists like Olle Olsson Hagalund found inspiration in these humble streets, capturing the area’s unique character in their art. However, this vibrant community faced a tragic fate in the 1960s. Driven by the ambition of modern urban planning, almost all the original houses were demolished. They were replaced with the “modern” buildings you see today. Olle Olsson, a resident of Hagalund, fiercely opposed this demolition. He even painted his own house a bright turquoise in protest, a silent outcry against the destruction of his beloved neighborhood. This act of defiance wasn’t enough to save Hagalund’s heart. Today, only a handful of the original structures remain, clustered around the artist’s defiantly painted home, which now serves as a museum. Hagalund stands as a reminder of the complexities of progress and the importance of preserving cultural heritage, even in the face of modernization.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to