IDROTTENS RUM En bebyggelsehistorisk studie av 1900-talets idrottshall

Abstract

The sports hall of the twentieth century as part of the built heritage has near but evaded interest from the field of conservation, in spite of - or perhaps because of - being a common sight in most towns in Sweden. The purpose of this essay is to examine the sports hall through a qualitative approach, with several case studies. The investigation is limited to sports halls built during the twentieth century in Västra Götaland. The historical background gives insight into the context in which the sports hall has developed and the case studies illustrate the local circumstances. The goal of the essay is to recognize and stress the importance of the sports hall as part of the modern cultural heritage. The results of the study show that an increased public and communal interest shown in indoor sports led to the development of the modern sports hall in the 1930’s. The responsibility of management and maintenance of the sports halls has varied between clubs and the communal authorities, closely connected to the economic circumstances in society. The developments in construction over time has allowed for larger volumes, and the sports halls are often located as part of a larger sports complexes in close proximity to the center of town. In summary, the essay shows the importance of the sports hall as an integral part of the modern cultural heritage, based on the material and immaterial values it carries as representative of the sports community and as an established part of the built environment in Sweden.