To me, the northern part of Sweden breathes something enigmatic. It is above all nature, but also architecture, that has something magnificent about it - as it is created by mother earth. Point North is written to Johan Bodin Eriksson and the Härnösand Percussion Ensemble for their 30th anniversary in 2021. The three movements are inspired by three of the four seasons, but also from architecture and nature in the north part of Sweden.
1st movement - Autumn (the Library)
The Sambiblioteket was inaugurated in February 2000 and was a joint collaboration between several libraries and the vision was to create a link between the university and the city center, a meeting place and an active knowledge center for all people in Härnösand. The architect Hans Tirsén and his staff focused in their competition proposal "the beech forest" on the character of Härnösand by solitaires surrounded by vegetation. The interior is played out against the greenery of the ground through the thin membrane of the window wall. During dark autumn evenings, the library shines like a lantern of knowledge in high-tech.
2nd movement - Winter (the Mountain)
-Get a culinary experience with a breathtaking view of Härnösand. Eating should be an experience! The restaurant at the top of Vårdkasen has taken this quote to heart and offers the art of Swedish home cooking together with a magnificent view through the dining room window. At the top of the mountain is also a lookout tower that was completed in 2007. The architect Björn Westin has been inspired by both space rockets and a vårdkase (Phryctoriae) that previously existed on the mountain, a fire that warned for war and other danger. The lookout tower with its three levels is reached by a large open staircase that can also serve as a stage, but also as a starting point for slalom competitions during the winter.
3rd movement - Spring (the Waterfall)
With a drop of a total 90 meters, the Västanåfallet is one of the highest waterfall in Sweden. It’s water from the 4 km upstream lake Eksjön, which via a river forms a waterfall when the water flows down the steep mountainside. Västanåfallet is particularly powerful when snow and ice are melting and the high tide of spring forms a white, rushing wall down the cliffs. The fall height has previously been used for hydropower and contributed to several mills being built in region during the 17th, 18h and 19th centuries. Today the area is a nature reserve and a place for recreation and reflection, especially when the spring flood comes - nature´s musical primordial power!
Köpenhamn: Edition Svitzer , 2021.