The Rental Palace: A building by Backström & Reinius & Krupinski/Krupinska

Completed in 1937, Tegelslagaren 12 has long been a distinctive presence in Stockholm’s Södermalm district. This brick-and-teak “rental palace” presents a unique interpretation of functionalism, combining rational design with playful details and unexpected character. It also marked the beginning of the influential collaboration between architects Sven Backström and Leif Reinius and builder Olle Engkvist, whose work helped shape Swedish welfare-state housing and postwar architecture. Still owned by the commissioning family, the building has recently undergone its first major renovation by Krupinski/Krupinska. This book celebrates its architecture, history, restoration, and the people who have cared for it over the decades.