He was born in Sandnes and received his architectural education at the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1937. He established his own practice in Haugesund. His architecture developed from classical modernism to a form of critical regionalism, using local building motifs and symbols. In 1948 he moved from Oslo to Haugesund to work on ship interiors. He made all the interiors for Christian Haaland's new freight liner's, the «Concordia Line». He designed many different building types, including public, commercial, residential buildings. Sandved was working as an architect to the late 1980s.
From 5 February 1948 to his death he was married to Marit (b. Furulund) Sandved (1918–2009). In the 1950s he was strongly influenced by Rudolf Steiner and his anthroposophy. Sandved also participated actively in the public sphere, defending the composer Fartein Valen and his atonal polyphonic music in the local newspapers. In the 1990s the painter Odd Nerdrum discovered that David Sandved was his biological father.
Residential buildings
Villa for Direktør Hilmar Onarheim, "Onalund", Valevegen 7, Hystad, Stord (1952).
Villa for Doctor Simonsen, Breidablikkgaten 217, Haugesund (1957).
Villa for Lawyer Arne Lothe, Asalvikvegen 17, Haugesund (1961).
Villa for Shipowner Rasmussen, Salhusveien 15, Haugesund.
Victoriahjørnet (for Christian Haaland), Haraldsgaten 139, Haugesund (1977).
Bookshop Nils Sundt, Haraldsgaten 159, Haugesund (1978).
Haugesund Savings Bank, Haraldsgaten 115, Haugesund.
Other works
«The Norwegian motif», Europe square (Place de l'Europe) at the Europe tower (Tour de l'Europe) in Mulhouse, France, stone mosaic consisting of 7 different types of marble. The motif shows four birds with symbols of grain, fish, wood and electricity (1964).
