The public design Must Bolla! - Linda Ottosson/Eskilstuna Municipality

Måste Bolla! is a public work by Linda Ottosson, located at Kronskogshallen in Eskilstuna. The work consists of colorful balls that seem to emerge through the hall's facade and relates to the building's function as a sports hall. The inspiration comes from spontaneous and undemanding movements, such as children playing in the schoolyard or a passer-by kicking a cone. By mixing different types of balls, from handball to beach ball, the norms of sport are challenged and more experiences are given space.

Jury motivation

With poetic precision and craftsmanship, Måste Bolla! highlights the role of decoration as a supporting idea, not as decoration but as part of the core of the work. Here, the form moves between play and seriousness, where every choice of material carries meaning and every detail is part of a larger context.

The design captures the vibrant activity that permeates the sports hall. The façade is transformed into a living body that sweats out balls, symbols of diversity, community and the joy of fighting together. By transforming the balls into drops and letting the façade react to the inner activity, the feeling of exclusion in sports is de-dramatized, while humor becomes a tool for inclusion.

Måste Bolla! shows how the sensually meaningful can be both functional and value-creating, a craft that engages, moves and renews. A work that shows that the subtle can carry powerful stories about our time and our common spaces.