INDUSTRIELLT FRAMSTÄLLT TEGEL – om en försvunnen industri och dess antikvariska konsekvenser

Abstract

The thesis aims to investigate how the lack of industrially manufactured bricks affects conservation processes that mainly involve post-war buildings. The last brickworks in Sweden that manufactured bricks in an industrial manner has now closed and replacement bricks must therefore be imported. Information has been gathered through seven semi-structured interviews with various actors whose actions affect, and are affected by, the way brick is being handled within cultural heritage conservation. The information from the interviews has been compiled in relation to the following four questions: “How do stakeholders see that the lack of a Swedish industrial manufacturing of bricks affect conservational decision processes?”, “Which sources for replacement bricks has today replaced the production of the Swedish brickworks?”, “Which parameters affect the choice of replacement bricks?” and “Which obstacles respectively possibilities can be identified in relation to the conservation of post-war buildings?” The result shows that post-war brick buildings are rarely the objects of professional conservation acts, in relation to older brick buildings. However, the supply of different bricks is most likely bigger than ever before, but not as easily available. It is now important to know who to contact and when. The replacement bricks are often made in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands or Poland. Most of the informants claim that colour is the most important aspect when selecting replacement bricks, but several informants also stress the importance of choosing the correct mortar. The use of repurposed bricks as replacement bricks seems to be rare. One of the explanations that is presented is that the somewhat rough process of cleaning the brick from mortar makes it too worn down to fit in an existing facade