October 22, 2006

Architecture: Cinema Fontänen in Vällingby













Watch a clip about the building and inauguration of the movie theater Fontänen (clip link) 50 years ago. It was the theater of the equally new Stockholm suburb called Vällingby (clip from inauguration of Vällingby Centrum). That suburb was one of several being built around Stockholm at that time. They were so called new ABC-suburbs/towns. A stood for workplaces, B for living and C for center. Internationally these towns built up from virtually nothing were called, rightfully so, New towns. Vällingby was the first and probably the better one and it caused quite some international interest (and still do among architects and city planners). Today Vällingby is going through major change with outdoor shopping being roofed and so forth, but as it is now a part of Swedish architectural history it has to be done carefully. The Fontänen is no exception. Four salons has been added underground but above ground it pretty much looks like when it first was built.