Large urban environments have often been seen as inhospitable to human living conditions throughout modern history. Housing shortages, overcrowding and health issues have been major concerns to politicians and urban planners in Sweden for over a century, leading to the development of solutions that are deeply rooted in a contemporary ideological context as well as influenced by past ideals. During the 20th century the functionalist architectural movement, inspired by the international modernist movement, made a great impact in Sweden and Stockholm in particular. This led to the emergence of a paradigm of suburban housing projects in Stockholm.

This thesis examines the planning and living conditions in the early period of Bredäng, a southern suburb in Stockholm, using a wide theoretical framework. The modernist ideals of “social differentiation” and “Neighborhood Units” are analysed through municipal documents, and the experiences of its first inhabitants are examined through articles in newspapers. The aim is to understand the relationship between the planning of the suburb and the lived experiences of its first residents.