They built a large villa during upper secondary school

“It feels amazing to see how everything has come together, and to think that I’ve been part of it,” says Saga Cederlund, who graduated this spring.

Building real houses as part of the education is nothing new for the programme, but this latest project is something out of the ordinary. Students have worked with both wood and concrete, and the house is a full 380 square metres. Construction began in earnest in autumn 2021, and since then each year’s graduating class has worked on different parts of the building.

Hands-on learning

Ella Enberg graduated in 2023 and was involved in casting the foundation. After finishing school, she worked in a building supplies store and has been able to follow the project closely — she even sold the bathroom fittings and flooring for the house. She describes the project as an exciting opportunity.

“I think it has been incredibly valuable to get the practical experience. Many people never get access to such a large and realistic project. It feels much more like real work.”

When last year’s students took over, there was still plenty left to do. Saga Cederlund was able to make many of the design choices, such as colours and the style of outlets and switches. She says she may have had a better eye for detail than many of her classmates.

“Yes, I was basically the only girl in the group, and the guys aren’t always as good at seeing what fits together,” she says with a laugh.

Praise for the programme

Saga’s classmate, Arvid Rutström, also graduated this spring and now works in the industry with Unbyggarna. He praises both the project and the education itself.

“It was a really good programme — everyone with any interest at all should try it. Even if after three years you realise it’s not for you, you still gain so much knowledge that you can use at home.”

The house will now be placed on the open market and sold to the highest bidder.

This news article was also published in Boden Bild issue 2–2025. Curious about more news from Boden Bild? Explore the full collection.