Sigurd Lewerentz: Pure Aesthetics

Open to the public in 1960, St Mark's church is a magnificent brick building. The colour palette was determined by the white birch trees of the site.

"Pure Aesthetics" is the culmination of a four year project by Karin Björkquist and Sébastien Corbari.


A certain architecture needs to be profoundly observed and physically experienced to reveal its significance.

From the publisher:
St Mark’s Church in Björkhagen, one of Stockholm’s southern districts, is one of Sigurd Lewerentz’s (1885–1975) key designs. In contrast to Lewerentz’s other famous church, St Peter’s in Klippan, no book has been published to date that constitutes a fitting tribute to this masterpiece of brick brutalism.

This new building monograph now opulently and carefully fills this gap. Some 200 newly taken color photographs and especially drawn explanatory plans, alongside essays by distinguished authorities on Lewerentz’s arechitecture, make this book a visual feast. It demonstrates the exquisitely atmospheric St Mark’s Church as a whole and its embedment in the urban landscape. Moreover, it highlights many details, such as floor coverings, furnishings, lamps, banisters, the altar, and other liturgical features. The essays explore aspects of materiality and topics such as the church’s special acoustics and atmosphere in an attempt to reveal the secret of Sigurd Lewerentz’s church designs.

With contributions by Stephen Bates, Maria Aron Berg, Hansjörg Göritz, Matthew Hall, Beate Hølmebakk, Petter Eklund and an introduction by Karin Björkquist and Sébastien Corbari.

Karin Björkquist is a Stockholm-based photographer. Her work focuses mainly on interior architecture and portraits. Her photographs have been printed in books and magazines throughout the world.

Sébastien Corbari is an architect with AIX Arkitekter in Stockholm. He is a specialist in Scandinavian architecture, and also works as a photographer.