Stockholm Concert Hall : Management of a project in the 1920s

Abstract: The beginning of the 20th century was an epoch when new industries were established, migration to the cities were increasing, the service sector was growing, and with an increased middle class. Many of the new developments were endeavors, which we today would call projects. The purpose of this thesis is to extend our knowledge about projects during the 1920s, particularly how they were managed and how different persons took on roles and responsibilities to accomplish something they believed in. One such project was Stockholm Concert Hall (1923–1926). The project was managed by the architect Ivar Tengbom, who was the project manager. There have not been any previous studies of the concert hall as a project. Previous research of projects in the past are few and then mostly from the 1940s and 50s. The thesis covers the management of the project and the different roles and associated responsibilities. The main theories are Bourdieu’s Theory of Fields and current project management theories. One of the findings is that just four men with economic, social, and cultural capital dominated the total project process. The project is considered a success; the concert hall is still appreciated.