The conference business is growing

Vår Gård 's main building was inaugurated in 1959

When Harald Elldin retired in 1959, he was able to help inaugurate the new school buildings in connection with the Cooperative's 60th anniversary. The construction plans included four interwoven buildings with artistic elements that today make up Vår Gård 's main building with conference rooms, dining room, reception and hotel building.

The buildings take shape through architectural care

Vår Gård 's main building was planned in the 1940s by architect Dag Ribbing, who created four buildings with, among other things, a dining room, auditorium and teaching rooms. A reception and lobby with an entrance were arranged in the centre. The various buildings were linked by passages to create dry connections between lessons and meals. Ribbing also integrated the new complex with the old villa, Skärtofta, with a corridor that linked the other buildings. In order for Skärtofta and the new buildings to have a uniform impression, specially manufactured bricks were used to create harmony. A result of meticulous architectural care. A few years later, hotel buildings were also added in front of the entrance in separate annexes. Today, the buildings are seen as a main building where Vår Gård conducts most of its conference activities with several meeting rooms of various sizes, dining room, reception and Wine Café.

Picture below: Lesson in the Albin room in the 60s

Artistic features

During his time as principal, Harald Elldin had been very involved in several cultural areas such as theatre, art and music, which he also brought into teaching.
When the building plans were set in motion, a full 4% of the costs were set aside for artistic decoration. KF also received several gifts in the form of paintings and works of art at the inauguration. Well-known artists, including Axel Wallenberg and Christer Sjögren, decorate the premises with motifs that symbolize various aspects of human and animal life.
In the hall that is now called Isaac, Axel created twelve console finials carved in limestone that show the daily life of man. Also interesting is Christer Sjögren's wrought iron stair railing that goes from the entrance up to the second floor.
The staircase railing symbolizes nature and wildlife at different levels to reinforce the staircase's purpose of "ascension". At the bottom you can see motifs from the sea, on the second set of stairs we meet the beach followed by the country and at the top the sky with various birds. The designer Stig Lindberg contributed ceramic wall decorations that symbolize trade and transport.

Along the corridor towards the dining room, his work "Trade through the ages" can be seen. Even today, art is a very current and living part of Vår Gård with appreciated art displays and new additions to preserve the cultural heritage.

Image below: Trade through the ages by Stig Lindberg