Agricultural buildings (AB) - serving as places of production, processing and dwelling - have historically been essential parts of both the rural and periurban agricultural landscape.

The main objective of this -literature and observation based- paper is to place periurban AB into context and investigate their history and the main underlying reasons behind their development in Sweden. The defining factors and characteristics of periurban AB are also investigated and location-based influencing factors analyzed, including possible future influences. Furthermore, examples from Sweden and other countries in Scandinavia and north-west Europe are provided.

The findings show that the actual placement of periurban areas on the urban rural continuum is the result of a complex matrix of macro- and micro-influences, also affecting the development of the building stock. Periurbanization as a process has been increasing in pace through history, with the periurban building stock having been significantly affected both in quantity and quality. The size and distribution of the building stock and the buildings themselves, their utilization, function and aesthetic characteristics have undergone radical changes. Increasing numbers of people have been gaining access to periurban areas, through increased income and eradication of class differences. Indirect forces influencing this development include improved agricultural practices, transport and communication technology and large-scale infrastructural developments, acting together with new lifestyles and social behaviour reflecting the requirements of different population groups.

Distance from urban centres proved to be strongly correlated to periurbanizing pressure on buildings and it is postulated that sprawl-preventing spatial planning alone cannot hinder the periurbanization process. On the plus side, periurban AB can work as potential seeds for the development of a distributed economic model, in contrast to the existing highly centralized spatial structure. However the importance of climate change, development of new energy sources and material/technological change (e.g. nanotechnology, GMOs) must be considered in this process.