Outstanding Workation
Not only is it like a fun filled vacation to teach Sustainability & Sustainable building to the soon to be Building Engineers at Campus Varberg in the Halland region oin the Swedish west coast. It’s like a vacation in the mornings and evenings as well. I’ve had this assignment in almost ten years by now, and I always look forward starting the new semester with this client / these students.
Five weeks a year I do have te honour to hang out in Varberg. The west coast spirit is something else. This part of Sweden stands out from the general Swedish cultural profile with their open friendliness, while the rest of us are more reserved and introvert. On top of this the nature, including the morning- as well as the evening walk on the path inbetween the cliffs and the Atlantic (Skagerak) ocean, pure balm for the spirit.
I also give myself the treat of a nice hotel duing these weeks. There are a few popular ones, but I prefer Varberg Stadshotell, also called Asia Spa.
Traffic on the left
Yes… it seems to be VERY important if you’re going to walk along the ocean in Varberg. So no picking an choosing according to your own preference. It makes a nice image though😊
Morning swim
For the… brave. Not only am I sensitive to the temperature, I’m also scared of all the signs of the water is healthy enough other growing things like fish and… seaweed. I’m working on it though💪
Every Morning, a new Piece of Art
That’s what it feels like waking up for your morning walk in Varberg. As well as every evening.
Variation is a major plus. For me it’s normal and important that culture both provoces and is allowed to provice. But in a democracy I’m not comfortable with signs of the holocoust being exposed during a peak pre election period. Freedom of expression, one of the dilemmas of democracy. I reported it (digitally) to the municipality, and this is the new version.
I did consider if I would dare buying a bottle of red spray paint and finally become a street (more that anything) artist with a ❤️ sprayed on top of it. But since I was dating a police officer this summer, I felt like I wasn’t into becoming a criminal quite yet. Plenty of credd to Varbergs Municipality getting to this so speedily.
Morning Joy & Hotel Breakfasts
At Stadshotellet i Varberg🙏 I stay at hotels while working all the time, and all breakfasts will do. But staying at Varbergs Stadshotell for three days a week duing five weeks takes a bit of discipline. I absolutely love the eating environment. In my life, EVERYTHING is always best in the morning. So after waking up in my kitchy room, in a most comfortable bed, a morning walk some pre work working while eating this delicious breakfast I’m 100% ready for my students.
Building Engineers to be & What About Sustainability?
For three days we dig into healthier and more sustainable building materials. Which ones available, why as well as how they work in a building. And what cirsumstances they work better, and in what circumstances they will perform less well. Meaning how they deal with the variation of moisture and temperatures that are normal in a building during four seasons in Sweden, as well as the lifestyle and habits people in buildings.
My students are so patient during the prep days of the three material days when we struggle through the state of the globe, and the reasons we even have to deal with handeling shrinking natural supply of materials. As well as the consequences of harvesting & extracting them.
All of this in a world where everything has to be cheap and fast, without a second thought of what happens next.
I love my work, as well as I absolutely love working in Varberg. A privilegie if anything🙏
Kustbageriet in Varberg
Is located 20 metres from campus entrance. It’s a pure joy looking at (yes… mostly looking) and smelling the pastries while I wait for my oat latte. Staff is the sweetes as well. The parking outside does need a re-doing to match the bakery.
Sometimes I wonder how it’s possible that people in general accept the spirit-killing layout of small towns as well as cities, where the cars or rather… the parking of cars comes first hand. Not the people living in the towns and cities. Why does the cars need to be in the centers at all? Isn’t it the people that live and work there that should be prioritized? Asphalt and cars first?? We need to get some Jan Gehl thinking into the planning, layout and even redoing of the spaces for consumers and other living creatures.
Yes, there IS a multi level parking garage 50 metres (yards) away.
Single use Coffee Mugs
Are not ok in my book. Still they occur, especially in my work life while teaching on location.
Since I do teach building physics, more specifically how moisture and temperature dance, the paper mug makes the perfect edicational example of handeling resources as well as… hygroscopy.
Out journey lasted fifteen days, and at least 21 refills. The lid though, only lasted seven occasions, and wasn’t really performing the last couple of times. This isn’t the first time I test how many times you can reuse single use products and materials. I actually think this coffee mug could have lasted a few more times, but my assigments was done and I had to let go of the mug. Yes, it was rinsed quite a few times, never with a proper cleaning though. And I was still alive and kick’n. Possibly with an even stronger immune system. Who knows?
While I still had a car of my own I kept a paper mug from CircleK, where I wrote the starting date in the bottom of the mug, and a mark for every time I refilled it. It lasted exactly 20 times. Shoot me, but I’m so proud of having refilled my single use mug all those times. I wonder what they would have said at the gas stations and McD drive trhough if I had handed them a real cup that I had brought from home? No, the stainless versions are not to my liking.
ps. These days I primarily transport myself by train. And upon need, a rental car.
Varbergs Stadshotell
Also called Asia spa. I’m not the spa kind’a person though. I much rather sit in the lobby lounge and post work with a glass of wine as my company. It’s not uncommon that one sparks a conversation with some other visitor. That’s one of the qualities of the west coast mentality. They talk to strangers <3
This year I had the same room all three days per week, and all the five weeks. I love this interior decoration schitzophrenia. So kitsch with mix of patterns and materials. That goes for the entire hotel.
The staff though… could need a refreshed training. Varberg Stadshotel has a slight hubris that varies from a slight berate to down right snippy. I’ve never found them great, but this year it was an all time low. Especially in contrast to the general level of the hotel. It’s like the hotel suffers from a small town megalomania being at the exact middle of town. Next year I’ll pick another hotel.
The inspiring Varberg Art Scene
I’d say it’s fairly high. A combination of edgy, mainstream and it is what you make it.
Note that the piling of stones isn’t recommended everywhere due to mostly insects living under the rocks. And the insects is on a vast diminishing today. But in Varberg they have another attitude and only remove them if they become a danger for visitors.
The feet are located above the reception desk at Varberg Stadshotell, and the protrait of Greta Thunberg by Johannes Nygren is located at level 2 in the hotel as well. The controversial statue “With the Handbag as a Weapon” by Susanna Arwin is nowdays located in a locally (nationallyt as well, amongst some) well-known super rich communist garden. I don’t know what contributes most to his fame, beung a rich privilegied communist, ar the fact that he collects art. The little boy playing with a wooden toy is located on a wooden fence that protects people from the construction site located by the train station. The brass staues of kids carrying water by Knutte Wester is located on the Brunns Square. The other ones… be alert, and the’ll appear😊.
Sunbathing in Varberg
I’m not the best one to sell this to you, at least not the swimming. But… I did swim on THREE occasions, and calmed myself with ice cream! There is a sandy beach as well if you go to the close by Apelviken. The rocks though, are my preference.
Pink Skies on the Swedish West Coast
As you can see, it’s impossible to resist a morning- as well as an evening walk while visiting Varberg.
Until next time…
… I’m already looking forward til next August ❤️
