Stone of the year 2015

Red Bohus Granite – Swedish Stone of the Year 2015. The Swedish Stone Industry Association “Sveriges Stenindustriförbund” named Red Bohus Granite as Swedish Stone of the Year 2015. Red Bohus is a Swedish granite variety with character, whose qualities are also sought after internationally.

Red Bohus has made a strong mark on Sweden’s architectural history. The Telegraph House in Gothenburg is the foremost architectural example built in the National Romantic style, at the same time signaling the beginning of the 20th century and a modern Sweden.

A more contemporary example of a building in Red Bohus is the Nordea House, a name that reflects the many structural mergers of the banking world. When it was completed in 1967, it was called the Götabanken Building. Its stone façade has proven more durable than the financial sector itself. In fifty years, it has never been cleaned and yet has retained its luster. Even Nordea’s new headquarters in Stockholm features Red Bohus among the stone types adorning its façade. The building, totaling 37,000 square meters, will, once completed later this spring, meet the highest environmental standards.

The natural stone Red Bohus Granite is quarried in three locations in Bohuslän. Each site has lent its name to the stone quarried there. Hallindens Granit operates two of the quarries, Brastad and Skarstad. – The market is primarily in Europe. Red Bohus has a warm hue and the typical qualities of Swedish granite, such as high strength and frost resistance, says Jörgen Lundgren, CEO of Hallindens Granit.

The third variety of Red Bohus, Broberg, is quarried by Emmaboda Granit*. The company has noticed increasing demand in recent years. – Broberg is mainly used in public spaces, for streets and squares. We deliver large volumes of the stone to ongoing construction projects, such as Skeppsbron in Gothenburg. A significant share is also exported, says Joakim Steen of Emmaboda Granit. (*Broberg has been taken over by/is now quarried by Hallinden Granit.)

Red Bohus is also highly appreciated among artists. Sculptor Pål Svensson emphasizes the color nuances as the stone’s foremost quality from an artistic perspective. – There is a warmth in the color that especially comes into its own when used on relatively large surfaces. Its splitability makes it possible to produce very fine pieces that can then be rejoined. The surface can also be highly polished, says Pål Svensson.

The jury’s motivation reads: “Red Bohus Granite has an obvious place in Sweden’s stone history and is awarded Swedish Stone of the Year 2015 for its timeless qualities. Red Bohus Granite has a warm hue and can be processed into a variety of expressions, continually inspiring new generations of architects and artists.”

Read more here (only available in Swedish)