Rottneros Park, as it is today, was constructed during an intensive period of development in the middle of the 20th century. The central areas around, and to the south of, the mansion were laid out first, in the form of a formal park with baroque-style features. This was followed by some of the more romantic areas on the outskirts of the park, in keeping with the style of the English country park ideal. The other central parts were given a somewhat more formal style which does not, however, have the distinct linearity or symmetry of the baroque-inspired southern areas.
The park was not formed according to any master plan: it was instead developed as and when new ideas, sculptures and sculptors appeared on the scene. There was one important basic constructional feature, nevertheless, around which everything was built: two axes running in a north-south direction. These north-south axes are crossed by an east-west axis that cuts through the mansion house. The use of axes is an important component in classical parks; it was in this spirit that the park was given its basic structure so that it would match the style of the new mansion house that had been completed in 1932.
Svante Påhlson also made sure that the beauty of the surrounding countryside was incorporated into the park concept in order to create an interesting interplay between nature, architecture, parkland and sculptures. The views and lines of sight over Lake Fryken and the dark forest slopes should be an integral part of the total experience. The rooms of the park, on the contrary, should be surrounded by straight hedges and filled with rich vegetation. It is this contrast between a formal park laid out along straight lines and the open views over the rolling landscape that provides such a stimulating setting.