LEWERENTZ DIVINE DARKNESS

Saturday, February 21, 5:45 p.m. | Sigurd Lewerentz did not seek fame. A contemporary of Alvar Aalto and Gunnar Asplund, Lewerentz left behind some of the most profound works in Scandinavian design. But he shunned interviews and avoided public interventions. Instead, he let his buildings speak for themselves in a language of poetic brutality, austere beauty, and reverence for light and shadow. 

LEWERENTZ DIVINE DARKNESS begins decades after the architect’s death, when an unexpected discovery in a root cellar cracks open the mystery of his work. A treasure trove of beautiful black and white film clips and audio recordings reveals fascinating moments between the architect and his friend Bernt Nyberg, guiding us through an unexpected journey into Lewerentz’s singular legacy. (ADFF) Dialogue: Director Sven Blume in attendance. 

ADFF:CHICAGO 2026 | February 20–22, 2026

The Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF) and Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), in collaboration with the Gene Siskel Film Center, present ADFF:CHICAGO 2026—an international festival highlighting the best films dedicated to the creative spirit of architecture and design. The program showcases films with both a design focus and a human story for a broad audience of industry professionals, design-conscious consumers, and fans of nonfiction storytelling, with many screenings including filmmaker Q&As.

The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu