Sven Markelius studied at the Royal Institute of Technology and the Academy of Arts in Stockholm from 1910 to 1915 and later worked in the offices of Erik Lallerstedt and Ragnar Östberg. During the 1920’s Markelius designed several buildings that are regarded as the first functionalistic ones in Sweden, of which one can mention the concert hall in Helsingborg (1925-1932) and the student union at the Royal Institute of Technology (together with Uno Åhren, 1928-1930).
For the Helsingborg concert hall Markelius designed the simple, stackable chair Orkesterstolen for the orchestra, produced by Svenska Möbelfabrikerna i Bodafors, that he later used in several other interiors. In 1928 Markelius was one of the founding members of CIAM (Congrès internationaux d’architecture moderne) and two years later he played an important part in the Stockholm International Exhibition in 1930. For the exhibition, Markelius designed several houses and furniture such as a chrome a leather armchair, inspired by Dutch designer Mart Stam. In the following year he was one of the co-authors of the modernistic manifesto Acceptera (eng. Accept).
During the 1930’s Markelius began working with the Myrdal couple- Swedish pro-reform ministers from the social democratic government- resulted in a design for 57-unit communal house for collective living in Stockholm, finished in 1935. Markelius himself lived in the Collective House for thirty years, where he acted as a kind of handyman.
In 1936 Markelius designed the bar EPA in Stockholm and in 1939 the Swedish pavilion at the World Fair in New York. Eight years later he joined the architects committee for the United Nations Secretariat Building where he modeled the hall of the Economic and Social Council (1951-54). In Stockholm, Markelius played a major part in the redevelopment of Norrmalm and the planning of the Stockholm suburb of Vällingby (finished in 1954). From 1961 to -66 Markelius designed the Sweden House and one of the five glass buildings at Hötorget, both in Stockholm.
As a designer, Markelius made furniture in bentwood for Gemla and NK Verkstäder while also designing textiles and silver tableware. Sven Markelius was awarded several important award during his career, such as the Howland Memorial Prize (1949), the Prince Eugen Medal (1961) and a Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects (1962).
In 1972 Markelius passed away at the age of 83. He is represented at several museums around the world including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, ArkDes - Sweden’s National Centre for Architecture and Design and the Museum of Furniture Studies in Stockholm.
