Axel Berg (architect)
Emil Axel Berg(5 August 1856 – 10 December 1929) was aDanisharchitect.He received the Neuhausen Prize,C. F. Hansen Medal,andEckersberg Medal,and was honored as a Knight ofOrder of the Dannebrog.
Early years
[edit]Born inCopenhagen,Berg was the son of weight manufacturer, and captain in theCopenhagen Fire Brigade,Vilhelm Julius Berg and Caroline Frederikke Albine Bruun. He studied carpentry when he was 16 but a year later, in 1873, he began studying architecture. He graduated at theTechnical University of Denmarkin 1877 and at theRoyal Danish Academyin December 1880.[1]
Career
[edit]Berg, who practiced aHistoricistapproach, had a good sense of which style to use for each of his projects. His first project was the almost complete renovation ofBregentvedin theRococostyle (1891), for which he was awarded the C. F. Hansen Medal in 1893. His renovation ofVemmetofte Convent(1909) wasEarly Baroque.[2]He was awarded the Neuhausen Prize in 1885 and in 1910, the Eckersberg Medal. In addition to country houses, he designed a number of banks and office buildings, including Privatbanken's headquarters in various styles (1911). Berg was chairman of theArchitects' Association of Denmarkin 1902-04 and again in 1907–09, becoming an honorary member in 1924. He was a member of the Competition Committee forChristiansborg Palacein 1904, a consultant to theDanish Ministry of Culturein matters relating to church heating 1894–1923, and was a member of the Royal Academy's plenary session in 1911.[1]
Berg was behind the establishment of the Architects Association Support Fund, to which he devoted much time and effort, also supporting it financially. He participated in exhibitions atCharlottenborg Palacein 1885, 1905 and 1910; a commemorative exhibition was held in 1930. Berg also participated in theNordic Exhibition of 1888,and the Copenhagen City Hall Exhibition in 1901. He exhibited inBerlinin 1910 and 1911.[1]
He was of the last generation ofhistoricistarchitects who freely imitated or worked various historical styles. But he was not a supporter of a single style as some of his contemporaries were, However, he used theBaroqueandRococostyles as starting points. Berg never married and is buried in theVestre Cemetery.[1]
Works
[edit]- Epitaph inHelsingør Cathedral(Neuhausen Prize 1885)
- New manor house and farm building inBregentved(1887–1891, C. F. Hansen Medal 1893)
- Rebuilding ofMarienborg ManoronMøn(1893)[3]
- New steeple atRosenholm Castle(1893–1896)
- Restoration ofNæsseslottetinLyngbyincluding construction of pavilions (1896, 1906)
- Private residence, Uraniavej,Frederiksberg(1897)
- Nielsen & Winther's Engine Works, Blegdamsvej 60, Copenhagen (1897–1899)
- Privatebanken, now C. F. Tietgen's House, Børsgade 4-8 (1901–1904)
- Københavns Laane and Diskontobank, Amagertorv 24 (1904–1906)
- Knippelsbrosuperstructure (1906–1908)
- Rebuilding and modernization ofVemmetofte Convent(1907–1909)
- The villa Wessels Minde, Gentoftegade 9, Gentofte (1910, awarded by the Municipality of Gentofte)
- Dansk Arbejdsgiverforening (Danish Employers' Confederation), Vestervoldgade / Ny Kongensgade, Copenhagen (1910–1911)
- The Gunløg apartment block, Snorresgade / Bergthorasgade / Isafjordsgade,Islands Brygge,Copenhagen (1912)
- Branch of Danmarks Nationalbank, Aarhus(1926)
- Tomb for the builder Jørgen Jensen, Solbjerg Park Cemetery (1899, carved by Hans & Jørgen Larsen, decoration by Frederik Hammeleff)
- Tomb for Inspector Jørgen Leemeier atHolmens Cemetery(1899)
-
Bregentved -
Stables at Rosenholm -
Former Privatbanken headquarters
References
[edit]- ^abcdRikke Tønnes, "Axel Berg",Kunstindekx Danmark & Weilbachs kunstnerleksikon.(in Danish)Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ^"Axel Berg",Den Store Danske.Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ^Roussell, Aage (1964).Danske slotte og herregårde: Sydsjælland(in Danish). Hassings Forlag. p. 389.Retrieved13 December2012.
