Alexander Malmaeus

THE CULTURAL CONNECTOR

Architect and Chairman of the Anglo-Swedish Society

Ever since moving here at the age of six, Alexander Malmaeus has loved London and British culture. As the Chairman of the Anglo-Swedish Society, he sees his role as a connector who enables cross-pollination between the two cultures, and he has also added Scandinavian sensibility to the buildings he has designed as an architect. 

Tell us about your time at the Swedish School

I moved to London when my family relocated from Stockholm. When I started at the Swedish School, it was temporarily based in Ham whilst the new school building in Barnes was being built. We held end-of-term ceremonies and school plays at the Swedish Church in Marylebone.

What is the fondest memory you have from this period in your life? 

I have many fond memories, but one highlight is the school performance where we were dressed up as trolls. In the 1970s, the average hair length was long, so we didn’t need any wigs, just hairspray. With a touch of make-up, the look was complete, and we took to the stage. The audience responded with electrifying joy. 

You are working as an architect, which is a covetable profession. What advice would you give to those who want to enter the field? 

Don’t be put off when people say you must be a genius in maths and art to become an architect. If you have spatial awareness, can think in three dimensions, and are good at planning, you can do it. Working in architecture is also less about inspiration than portrayed in the media, where journalists love to write about “starchitects’’ and flamboyant personalities like Richard Rogers. Architecture is about detail and hard work – there’s a lot more perspiration required than inspiration. 

What excites you about architecture? 

I love creating places for people to live; intimate spaces that reflect the occupant’s personality. 

Klas Nilsson, who designed the Swedish School in Barnes, was a family friend. Was it Klas who inspired you to become an architect yourself? 

He was certainly one of the individuals who inspired me, alongside my grandfather, an interior architect, and several relatives who worked as furniture designers. I vividly recall visiting one of Klas’ projects when I was 15. Situated on a former bomb site on Flood Street in Chelsea, the project had received planning permission on the condition that the original façade be preserved, while the interior was left entirely to his discretion. Combining the exterior of a Regency terraced house with modernism was stunning. The interior featured a minimalist design, with a double height living room, a sunken dining area, and a plunge pool in the basement. It was the type of home I had never encountered before, and it was a real eureka moment for me. 

You’ve worked on some very high-profile developments in London. Which is your favourite? 

I have happy memories of working on the Bromptons in Chelsea, and it was my first project following graduation. We were tasked with preserving the main structure – a neo-gothic former hospital- while designing complementary buildings on either side. Despite the constraints, it was thrilling to transform a public institution into luxury apartments. 

“Don’t be put off when people say you must be a genius in maths and art to become an architect.
If you have spatial awareness, can think in three dimensions, and are good at planning,
you can do it.”

What is your approach when adapting a period building to modern living? 

I hold a strong appreciation for preserving period features; once they are lost, they can never be perfectly replicated. If you later attempt to add reproductions, they seldom capture the original essence. However, it is also important to adapt to contemporary needs – redefining spaces is essential.

I am not particularly fond of open-plan living areas and prefer a series of interconnected rooms, as is often seen in Sweden. Families benefit from having doors and the ability to divide space effectively.  

Is being bi-cultural important to you? 

This is something of great importance to me, which is why I joined the Anglo-Swedish Society in my mid-thirties. Although I had not spent much time with fellow Swedes for many years, the end of my engagement to my Swedish fiancée, who subsequently moved back to Sweden, prompted me to reconnect with Swedish events. I attended a dinner hosted by Bärsärkar & Vikingar (a Scandinavian dining club), held at the Swedish Church where I had performed as a troll 25 years earlier. It felt wonderful to be back. 

As a native Swede, I find I am more able to bridge the gap between the two cultures than someone who has just experienced one. The Anglo-Swedish Society aims to foster this cultural connection. In my youth, British knowledge of Sweden was largely limited to Abba and Volvo, and I think we have contributed to a more nuanced understanding of Sweden.  

Additionally, I am set to become the first Swedish Master of the Worshipful Company of Paviors, a City of London guild with records dating back to 1276, during its 750th anniversary year. 

What is your relationship to London? 

London is an amazing place. There is so much history behind discrete doors, with pockets of culture everywhere.