Myrstedt & Stern, Early 20th century department store building in Stockholm, Sweden
Myrstedt & Stern is a 1908–1910 commercial building at Kungsgatan 5 in Stockholm, designed by Ernst Stenhammar with engineer Henrik Kreüger. Its non-load-bearing facade has large glass panels between sandstone columns, thin floor bands in Gränna sandstone, and pointed arches under the cornice carried by sculpted capitals.
Built 1908–1910 for Myrstedt & Sterns aktiebolag by Kreuger & Toll, the building was designed by Ernst Stenhammar and engineered by Henrik Kreüger. It was Stockholm's first with a pure reinforced concrete skeleton. Folksam bought it in 1922 and had its head office there until moving to the new Folksamhuset in 1959.
The column bases carry grinning animal heads, a motif borrowed from older church buildings. The attic storey is clad in copper sheets with reliefs in flowing Art Nouveau ornament. The Gothic details echo contemporary German office and department store architecture.
The building sits at the intersection of Kungsgatan and Norrlandsgatan in central Stockholm, making it easily accessible by foot from major transit points. Ground floor retail entrances open directly onto the street, allowing visitors to see the interior layout without entering stores.
The column bases carry grinning animal heads, a motif borrowed from older church buildings. The attic storey is clad in copper sheets with reliefs in flowing Art Nouveau ornament. Because the facade is non-load-bearing and was added after the concrete skeleton was raised, it resembles an early curtain wall.
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