Brit Andresen facts for kids

Brit Andresen is an architect who was born in Norway and later became an Australian citizen. She made history in 2002 by becoming the first woman to receive the Royal Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal. This award recognized her amazing work in teaching, studying, and practicing architecture.

About Brit Andresen

Andresen was born in Norway. She moved between Norway and Australia several times when she was young. Her father, who was an engineer, worked on big hydroelectric projects (which use water to make electricity) in Australia from 1951 to 1963.

Brit Andresen studied architecture in Trondheim, Norway, and finished her studies in 1969. In 1971, she moved to Cambridge, England. There, she started teaching architecture part-time at Cambridge University and also opened her own architecture business.

Designing the Burrell Museum

In 1972, Brit Andresen and her team (Gasson Meunier Architects) won a competition to design the Burrell Museum in Glasgow, Scotland. Because of money problems, the museum wasn't finished right away. It was finally completed by another team and opened in 1983.

The Burrell Collection museum in Glasgow, Scotland.

Working in Australia

In 1977, Andresen returned to Australia. She took a temporary teaching job at the University of Queensland. She was the first woman ever to be appointed in the university's Department of Architecture.

At the university, she met another teacher named Peter O'Gorman. They got married in 1980 and started their own architecture firm called Andresen O'Gorman Architects. Their company mostly designs homes. They love to use Australian hardwood timber in their buildings. They also focus on making spaces that connect the inside of a building with the outside, and how people interact with their surroundings.

Her projects in Cambridge and Brisbane have been featured in books and exhibitions around the world. One of her works is even in the famous Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture.

Teaching and Research

Besides the Universities of Cambridge and Queensland, Andresen has taught at many other famous schools. These include the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London and the UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture in the United States. She also gave guest lectures at The Royal University of Malta.

Andresen has also done a lot of research and writing about architecture. She has shared her ideas in many presentations, journals, and books. She is especially known for her work on how the famous architect Alvar Aalto used landscapes and sites in his designs.

In November 2010, Andresen retired after teaching at the University of Queensland for 33 years. She was given the title of Emeritus Professor in the School of Architecture. She also helps teach at the Glenn Murcutt International Masterclass in Sydney, which is a special program for architects.

More recently, in 2011, Andresen worked with Sir Peter Cook and Gavin Robotham. They won a competition to design the new Soheil Abedian School of Architecture at Bond University in Queensland.

Important Projects

Here are some of the notable buildings and projects Brit Andresen has worked on:

• 1972: Burrell Museum (Scotland)
• 1994: Ocean View Farmhouse (Queensland)
• 1998: Mooloomba House (Queensland)
• 1998: Rosebery House (Queensland)
• 2001: Fernberg Pavilion (Queensland)
• 2001: Moreton Bay Houses (Queensland)

Awards and Recognition

Brit Andresen has received several important awards for her work:

• 1970: Dutch-Norwegian Research Scholarship
• 1990: Teaching Excellence Award, The University of Queensland
• 2002: Fellow Royal Australian Institute of Architects
• 2002: RAIA Gold Medal

See also

In Spanish: Brit Andresen para niños