Tornseglare/Swifts are an endangered species, listed as a prioritized specie in need of help actions by Stockholm Stad. Since middle age the birds have been nesting in church towers and under old roof constructions. However, due to the demolition of old houses and modern construction techniques, the swifts find it difficult to find places to live and the population has declined.
Team: Emilia Aarna and Nora Linnros.
In the spring of 2022, site-specific swift nests were mounted at the top of Kulturhuset’s northern facade. KLARA Swift Nests aim both to implement Stockholm Stad’s Action Plan for Biodiversity and to highlight the historical context of the city and its consequences not only for humans but also for wildlife.
The front of the nests have textures cloned from Klara church’s varied facade. The textures should help the swifts to get a hold when they land against the nest. An approach to bring back some of the roughness, nooks and crannies that disappeared with the demolition of Klarakvarteren in the 1960s and 70s.
