Every year the Stone Prize is awarded by the Swedish Stone Industry Association to a project in Sweden that uses natural stone in an aesthetic, sustainable, and innovative way. In 2018 the honor was shared by Wingårdh Architects and Wikerstål Architects for the modernization of Nationalmuseum.

The Stone Prize has been awarded annually since 1983, and through the years the succession of winning projects has shown a breadth that reflects what a fantastic and multifaceted material natural stone is. According to the jury, Nationalmuseum is no exception to that tradition:

“It already looks like the atrium courtyards and the new stonework have always been part of the museum, but for the museum’s regular visitors there is of course a big difference,” says Kai Marklin, President of the Swedish Stone Industry Association.

The work on the building included replacing 1200 limestone blocks in the façade, and laying 3000 square meters of new pale gray and gray-brown Borghamn limestone on the walls and floors of new hallways and cloakrooms. In preparation for the restoration work, the designers returned to the original quarry in Borghamn to find hues that would correspond to the limestone used in the original 1866 museum.

“We manage many culturally historically valuable buildings in which stone is an important part of the function and the design, from Stockholm Palace to Karlsborg Fortress,” says Torun Hammar, a project manager for the Swedish National Property Board. “It is therefore valuable that the high quality of the stonework in the Nationalmuseum really comes to the fore. The stone plays a significant role in the experience of the building, on the exterior as well as the interior.

The jury’s statement: “The ambitious modernization of Nationalmuseum is a shining example of stone’s ability to dissolve the boundaries between different eras and join together visions for every age. It is a renewal that is anchored in history and a contemporary leap into the future, always with an open door and a warm welcome.”

For more information or other questions, call Klara Grape at 010 - 788 11 19 or email klara.grape@wingardhs.se.