Organisations
> Organisations for architects in Sweden
- Sveriges Arkitekter
Sveriges Arkitekter is a professional organisation for architects, interior architects, landscape architects and urban planners. Students, employees (and even unemployed professionals), leaders, executives and self-employed architects are welcome to apply for membership.
It is recommended to join Sveriges Arkitekter as they give you: Support on your job; Income protection insurance; Salary and statistics; Information about the industry; Business consulting; Development and training; The Arkitekten magazine; Professional titles and others. The union has about 14,000 members and nearly 90% of the architecture profession in Sweden is are members.
- Boverket
Boverket - The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning.
It is a central government authority assorted under the Ministry of Finance. They review developments within the fields of housing, building and planning. They analyse the housing market and issue Building Regulations.
- Federation of Swedish Innovation Companies – FSIC
(Swedish: Innovationsföretagen)It is the common trade and employers´ association for Sweden’s architects, building and engineering consultancies.
- BKK
The construction contracts commitee consists of authorities, associations and organisations for the building proprietor, consultants and contractor sides of the construction sector.
- Almega
The employers organisation for the Swedish Service Sector. They offer service and advice in industry and employer issues.
- ArkDes
Sweden’s national centre for architecture and design located in Stockholm
It is a museum, a study centre and an arena for debate and discussion about the future of architecture, design and citizenship.
- Svensk Byggtjänst
The entire construction industry's gathered and validated knowledge in one place
- Stockholms Arkitektförening
The Stockholm Association of Architects is an organisation that organizes seminars, lectures, and visits in Stockholm. They feature Swedish and international guests.
- Fastighetsmäklarinspektionen
FMI (The Swedish Estate Agents Inspectorate) is a government agency responsible for the registration and supervision of real estate agents & real estate companies.
- Saco
Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations, it is a politically independent central organisation with 21 unions, including Sveriges Arkitekter.
Among other things they publish yearly salary statistics (saco lönsök) within the architecture industry which is available only to member of Sveriges Arkitekter.
- Sweden Green Building Council
Various green design/ sustainability certification and educational programs including LEED, BREEAM, and others. They also host various events.
> Organisations for architects in Europe
- UPA-BUA
An extensive list of international and European architectural organisations
- Architects' Council of Europe (ACE)
What they do:
- Promoting Architecture in Europe
- Advancing Architectural Quality in the Built Environment
- Supporting Sustainable Development of the Built Environment
- Ensuring High Standards of Qualification for Architects
- Advocating Quality in Architectural Practice
- Fostering Cross-Border Cooperation
- Facilitating European Practice
- Acting as the Single Voice for Architects in Europe.
- International Union of Architects (UIA)
An international organisation created following the merger of the Comité permanent international des Architectes and the Réunion International des Architectes. Its headquarters is located in Paris.
The organisation is recognised as the only global architecture organisation by most United Nations agencies, including UNESCO, UNCHS, ESOSOC, UNIDO and the World Health Organization as well as the WTO. The current (2021-2023) president is José Luis Cortés from Mexico.
- European Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)
AIA Continental Europe is one of seven international chapters of The American Institute of Architects; AIA Europe, AIA Middle East, AIA Hong Kong, AIA Japan, AIA Shanghai, AIA UK and AIA Canada. They support architects, students, and building professionals through programs that foster fellowship between practices in Europe, the United States, and beyond.
Through Europe-wide programming and events, they connect members to one another and to invaluable European and American resources. Through additional joint activities with the six other chapters of the AIA International Region, AIA Europe connects members to the other AIA chapters.
- Alliance des Architectes Francophones (AAF)
- Architects Council of Central and Eastern Europe (ACCEE)
> Teaching and Research Organisations in Europe
- European Association for Architectural Education
(EAAE)This association is dedicated to the exchange of ideas and people in the field of teaching and research in architecture.
Its objective is to improve knowledge and the quality of teaching in architecture and urban planning through conferences, seminars and summer universities, whose proceedings it publishes and distributes.
- Consultative Committee for Education in Architecture
(CCEA)The European "Architects" Directive (85/384/EEC) of 1985, is responsible for approving training courses in architecture that are now recognized at European level. This is important when seeking accredited architecture education in Europe.
- European Network of Heads of Schools of Architecture
(ENHSA)ENHSA aims to bring together representatives of the heads of European schools of architecture. It is an initiative launched by the EAAE and supported by the European Commission in the framework of the Socrates programmes.
- European Network for Administrative Co-operation in Architecture (ENACA)
ENACA is the European network of competent authorities in the field of architecture. Its objective is to provide a forum for competent authorities to improve administrative cooperation and exchange best practices on the implementation of the Directive on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications (PQD), with a view to facilitating the professional mobility of architects.
- European Observatory of Doctoral Research in Architecture
(EODRA)The European Observatory of Doctoral Research in Architecture is an online database where all research activity in the domain of architecture can be recorded, giving this way the possibility to network researchers working on similar issues and to offer consultancy regarding the interest and the impact that a particular research theme has in the broader architectural research community.
- Architectural Research Network
(ARENA)An open and comprehensive network for European architectural researchers across Europe. It provides a sharing platform to promote, support, develop and disseminate high quality research in all fields of architecture including: design, engineering, environment, urban planning, landscaping, etc.
> Architecture History and Culture
- World Capital of Architecture (WCA)
Joint UNESCO-UIA committee: the cities of each UIA World Congress are named World Capital of Architecture. They become for one year a world forum to meet the challenges of today's urban context.
- European Forum for Architectural Policies (EFAP)
The European Forum for Architectural Policies (EFAP-FEPA) is an international network devoted to foster and promote architecture and architectural policies in Europe, bridging public governance, profession, culture and education. Among several objectives, the EFAP aims to disseminate nowledge and best practice on architectural policies through meetings of experts, public events and publications.
- European Architectural History Network (EAHN)
The European Architectural History Network supports research and education by providing a public forum for the exchange and dissemination of knowledge of the histories of architecture. Based in Europe, it is open to architectural historians and scholars in allied fields from all countries.
- Humanities in the European Research Area (HERA)
Humanities in the European Research Area is a network of 26 national funding agencies committed to leading and developing funding opportunities for humanities researchers in Europe
- International Committee of Architectural Critics (CICA)
CICA brings together critics, theorists and historians from all over the world. The members of CICA share the conviction that criticism and the theoretical discourse of architecture in general are integral parts of the architectural process. Consequently, CICA and its members see themselves as working towards a better architecture and better cities alongside the architects.
- Fondation des Architectes du Monde (FAM)
Architectes du Monde (FAM) is a recognized public utility foundation known as “abritante” which means that it can accommodate foundations under its aegis. Its primary vocation is to preserve and promote the world's architectural heritage.
- Guiding Architects
Guiding Architects is the world’s largest network of architecture tour companies including Malmö. .
- International Academy of Architecture (IAA)
> European Professional Organisations
- EUROPAN
Europan Europe manages the association and coordinates GA/C/SC/TC meetings, European events, European publications, European communication and the European website, Follow-up of the implementations at the European scale, including competitions.
> Women Architects Organisations
- International Union of Women Architects ( UIFA )
Organization of women architects from 90 different countries, founded in 1963 and headquartered in Paris. Its aim is to make known and promote women architects, to establish relations and exchanges between professional women in the field of life, and to collect all information concerning the stature and professional life of these women throughout the world. The now defunct Union of Women Architects of Belgium (UFAB) was attached to it.
> Unemployment Compensation
- Akademikernas A-Kassa
There are 25 different unemployment funds in Sweden. They are known as a-kassa. They function as a work insurance. The unemployment fund linked to Sveriges Arkitekter is Akademikernas a-kassa. It is reccomended to join one as soon as you are working, from the very first day of employment! A basic requirement is that you must have worked in Sweden to become a member.
> Starting your own company in Sweden
- Verksamt
Here you will find information and services if you want to start or run your own business.
> Volunteer in Sweden and Europe
- Arkitekter Utan Gränser ( Architects Without Borders )
- Fondation Architectes de l’Urgence (FAU)
Fondation Architectes de l’Urgence (FAU) provides security, advice and assistance to populations affected by natural or technological disasters, in France and abroad.
> Freelancing in Sweden
Cool Company
Invoice without having to start your own company through an umbrella company.
- Frilans Finans
Invoice without having to start your own company through an umbrella company.
> Business Incubators
- Expression Umeå
A business incubator that enables the development of driven creators with ideas, innovations or businesses in the artistic, cultural and creative industries.
> Organisations for Architecture Students in Europe
- Arkipelago Sweden
Meeting places between architectural students, companies, and organisations. In addition to lectures, events, and workshops, Arkipelago holds annual labor market days in each city.
- Arknat
ARKNAT is a concept merging Architecture and Nature. Students from all over Scandinavia gather to challenge design through seminars, workshops, and construction.
- European Architecture Students Assembly (EASA)
EASA is a platform for cultural and educational exchange, connecting architecture students and professionals across Europe and the world.
- Wonderland
They share content, promote emerging architects and initiate relevant projects. The results are published or shared through lectures with the interested audience.
- Young European Architects (YEA)
This international institution was created following the seminar for young architects in Europe organised by the Bouwmeester Bob van Reeth in 2002.
The Flemish government proposed to subsidize the formalization of this initiative, based initially in Antwerp. The YEAs have more recently collaborated with the Wonderland association.
> Networking
Please see our 'NETWORKING' section for additional information.