Modernism
Modernism emerged as a reaction to outdated, overcrowded towns with poor housing and a pastiche of historic architecture which was seen as impractical and expensive to build. The solution should be a complete renewal of building and of city plans. Ideas about light and space had already been around since the beginning of the 20th century. This resulted in the creation of Strandpromenaden (the Shore Promenade) and new villa quarters which Borgargatan between Margaretavägen and Peterus Magni School is a fine example of. The town plan, established 1909, also took the historic values in Vadstena into account. That precedence was abandoned in the 1930’s when a number of valuable buildings were demolished and replaced with new buildings. Occasional widening of roads also took place, for example in Fyllagatan. However, any new masterplan with widening of roads in the modernist spirit was never implemented. The town expanded outwards into new districts where modernist ideas had stronger influence. The most prominent example of this is Birgitta’s Hospital built as a whole new neighborhood with very well considered architecture.
Vadstena has many fine examples of modernist buildings. The fire station was built in 1953 of brick with a copper roof. In spite of its strict outline the building gives the impression of lightness. Another 1950s architectural construction is one of the least appreciated by the town residents, the silo in the harbour district. The architecture in itself is complex and there has been a lot of consideration to avoid influencing the skyline of the town. The silo is the first of such a large building being constructed using a new casting method which makes it architecturally valuable.
The ”new” part of S:t Per’s school was also built in the 1950s. It is constructed of yellow brick with many fine details such as stepped eaves, facade with decorative brick patterns, different window design breaking the pattern and a stone portal over the entrance.
The Co-operative building on Rådhustorget was added following a fire which destroyed the town hotel in the 1960’s. It is a typical example of a modernist type of grocery store and even though the height and detailing was adapted, for example the roof on the front clad in copper, it is a much discussed building. The contemporary long addition adjacent to Slottsgatan fits in much more comfortably in the context of Rådhustorget even though it is a clearly modern building. Petrus Magni school was also built in the 1960s and has to be viewed as the highlight of modernism in Vadstena. Constructed from yellow brick with copper details the separate buildings have been placed to form square-like open spaces between each other. The auditorium with its spectacular wavy wooden ceiling and specially designed light fittings is a particular treasure.
A couple of private residences are worth attention, Villa Ljungagränd by Strandpromenaden and the former furniture shop by Hovstullen are both fine examples of modernism on a smaller scale.
The new monastery church built in the early 1970s is a central plan church. It combines the spaciousness of the middle age Birgittine hall churches with a modern architecture. Windows are facing lake Vättern as well as the heritage of the middle age monasterio church.
In the 1980s there was a reaction against the industrialised and, at times, insensitive building that lacked consideration in relation to the context. Sjökvarteren introduced a new era in Vadstena. Initially through renovation of older buildings and later newbuild in traditional design partly using older construction methods with close attention to material choices. Much attention was given to sustainability and in that way foreshadowed the building debate of the 21st century.