The Heckscher-Ohlin Room

The Stockholm School of Economics welcomed its first students in 1909. The founding charter established the School’s objective as strengthening Sweden’s competitiveness through science-based education and research. Scientific inquiry and academic thought therefore remain central to SSE’s identity, and the Heckscher-Ohlin Room is conceived as a tribute to these ideas.

Located above the main entrance at the center of the building’s piano nobile, the room occupies one of the most prominent spaces at SSE. The interior combines international design with works by contemporary artists. Alongside a chandelier by Lindsey Adelman, chairs by Mario Bellini, a sofa by Konstantin Grcic, and tables by Piero Lissoni, the room includes artworks by Charlotte Gyllenhammar, Bella Rune, Christian-Pontus Andersson, Jens Fänge, and Damien Hirst.

The room serves as a faculty lounge and gathering place for academic events and celebrations. Upon entering, visitors encounter portraits of former SSE professors Eli Heckscher and Bertil Ohlin. Ohlin received the 1977 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, partly for work developed together with Heckscher.

The chandelier suspended from the ceiling evokes both scientific models and organic forms, reflecting themes of theory, structure, and discovery. More broadly, the room combines aesthetic experience with ideas connected to scientific inquiry and the search for understanding.

Jens Fänge’s large-scale wallpaper installation references both theoretical thinking and the history of SSE. Charlotte Gyllenhammar’s photograph Whiz and Bella Rune’s virtual projections challenge familiar perspectives and encourage reflection on perception and interpretation. Christian-Pontus Andersson’s sculptural figure introduces an element of surprise and playfulness into the space.

The design and refurbishment of the room were made possible through generous support from Nordiska Galleriet. Jens Fänge’s artwork was made possible through support from Lena and Per Josefsson, Elisabeth and Martin Wiwen-Nilsson, and Carl Hirsch.

Excerpt adapted from “Heckscher-Ohlin Room: Introduction” by Lars Strannegård, President of the Stockholm School of Economics.