Peter Celsing studied at The Royal Institute of Technology and the Royal Academy of Art during the 1940’s. After graduation, Celsing worked for Ivar Tengbom and Paul Hedqvist, and spent one year in Beirut. From 1948 to 1952, Celsing was the director of AB Stockholms Spårvägars (Stockholm railways) architectural office for which he designed the metro stations Gubbängen, Åkeshov, Hökarängen and Blackeberg.
In 1952 Celsing founded his own architectural office, mainly focusing on churches. The Härlanda church in Gothenburg, Sankt Tomas church in Vällingby, the Ludvika crematorium and the Boliden church where all made during 1952 to 1960. He also worked with restorations and extensions for among others, Operakällaren in Stockholm.
Celsing was appointed professor in architecture at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm 1960. Six years later he won a competition to design a cultural center, a theater, and a national bank in the center of Stockholm. The cultural center, Kulturhuset, and the theater was completed in 1974 and was a product of the view on culture during the 1960’s with open floor plans behind a glass wall. Celsing wanted to give “the atmosphere of the street with the possibilities of the workshop.” For Kulturhuset, Celsing also designed furniture, such as a modular sofa made in lacquered board and a leather upholstery that is part of the collection at the Museum of Furniture Studies.
The Swedish National Bank was finished in 1976 and differs completely from Kulturhuset, with its impenetrable black granite façade. Other buildings by Celsing are Filmhuset at Gärdet in Stockholm (1970) and the Nacksta Church in Sundsvall (1969).
Peter Celsing passed away in 1974 at the age of 54. He is the father of architect Johan Celsing.
