Archival display celebrates six decades of Kuwait-Sweden architectural collaboration
STOCKHOLM: The iconic Kuwait Towers are taking center stage at Sweden’s national museum of architecture and design, in a display highlighting the historic collaboration that shaped one of the Gulf’s most recognizable landmarks. Kuwait’s Ambassador to Sweden Mohammad Hayati praised the ArkDes museum in Stockholm for preserving the original design documents of the towers, calling the collection a symbol of the deep ties between the two countries.
“The Kuwait Towers are not only a title of modernity in Kuwait but also a testament to the fruitful cooperation between Kuwait and Sweden in the 1960s and 1970s,” Hayati said during a visit to the museum on Friday.
The archive includes sketches and materials from the late Swedish-Danish architect Malene Björn and her husband, Swedish architect Sune Lindström, who designed the towers through the Swedish firm VBB, now known as Sweco. Hayati toured the collection alongside Ingvar Mattson, Secretary-General of the Swedish Parliament. They were welcomed by museum director Karin Nilsson and staff, joined by architect Jo Lindström, son of Sune Lindström.
The Kuwait Towers.
According to a statement from the Kuwaiti Embassy in Sweden, the visit aimed to highlight shared heritage and explore new avenues of cooperation in architecture and design. This year also marks the 60th anniversary of Kuwait-Sweden diplomatic relations.
Museum officials stressed their commitment to safeguarding the archive, describing it as proof of Sweden’s advanced design capabilities and Kuwait’s appreciation in commissioning a landmark that has become “a historic symbol.” Hayati noted that the Swedish firm was also behind Kuwait’s water towers, adding to the legacy of architectural ties between the two nations. For Jo Lindström, the project remains personal. “This project holds a special place for my family,” he said, recalling his own role in supervising parts of the construction alongside his parents. The Kuwait Towers were officially inaugurated in 1979. — KUNA
