The Red Corridor
The Red Corridor on the third floor of the SSE main building is an artistic installation featuring works by artist Jan Håfström together with an architectural framework and interior design by Thomas Sandell. The space offers new group study areas in an environment designed to complement the School’s cultural heritage building.
The installation includes Sent på jorden (Late on Earth) by Jan Håfström, a series consisting of 16 artworks. The project was inaugurated on May 14, 2025.
Swedish contemporary artist Jan Håfström created Sent på jorden specifically for the Red Corridor at Sveavägen 65. The title references a poem by Gunnar Ekelöf. Some of the works included in the installation have previously been exhibited at the Venice Biennale.
Among the works is Skolan i Aten (The School of Athens), a free interpretation of Raphael’s 16th-century fresco depicting philosophers and thinkers from antiquity. In Håfström’s interpretation, the work reflects on intellectual history, critical thinking, curiosity, and the role of education in society.
Another work, Vad är det jag ska vittna om? (What Shall I Bear Witness To?), addresses questions of responsibility and observation in contemporary society.
Throughout the corridor, objects and fragments appear like traces within a larger narrative. Together, they create an environment that evokes ideas of memory, history, and interpretation.
The architectural framework was designed by Thomas Sandell, one of Sweden’s leading architects. Through custom-designed interiors, Sandell has created an environment intended for study, contemplation, and movement through the space.
The furniture draws inspiration from Swedish Grace, the Scandinavian classicism of the 1920s associated with architects such as Gunnar Asplund and Josef Frank. Combined with Sandell’s contemporary design language, the corridor creates a series of study spaces intended to encourage focus and reflection.
“What was once an architectural space designed for passage has instead become a place for togetherness, study, and thought.”
— Lars Strannegård, President of the Stockholm School of Economics
The project was made possible through a generous contribution from the Hobohm family.
All photographs of the corridor were taken by Mikael Olsson.
The Venice Biennale (Biennale Arte) is an international contemporary art exhibition held every two years in Venice, Italy.