Elmar Lohk facts for kids

Elmar Lohk (born June 15, 1901 – died February 11, 1963) was an important Estonian architect. He designed many famous buildings in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. These buildings are now seen as great examples of architecture from the 1930s. One well-known building is the Scandic Hotel Palace, located in Freedom Square. His designs often used a style called functionalism, which focuses on how a building will be used, but also had influences from other styles.

Elmar Lohk's Life and Work

Elmar Lohk went to school in a city called Vladivostok and worked for a while in Shanghai. Later, he studied architecture at Darmstadt University of Technology in Germany from 1921 to 1925. After finishing his studies, he started working in Tallinn in 1926.

Famous Buildings in Tallinn

In the 1930s, Elmar Lohk designed several important and impressive buildings in Tallinn. Some of his notable works include:

• The "EEKS-house" at 10 Vabaduse Square (built in 1937)
• The Palace Hotel (built in 1937)
• The National Health Service Building in Tõnismäe (built in 1939)
• The Kopli Community Centre (built in 1937)

One of his best examples of grand architecture was the reviewing stand at the Kadriorg stadium (built in 1937). He worked on this project with August Komendant, an engineer who later worked with the famous architect Louis Kahn.

Besides these larger buildings, Lohk also designed many beautiful homes called villas. Some of these are located at 24 Kase Street, Maasika Street 4/6, and Lahe Street 6. Other well-known buildings he designed include the "Kalev" club on Kaarli Avenue (built in 1932), apartment buildings at 12 Raua Street and 14 Raua Street, and the chapel for the Pühavaimu parish in the Rahumäe cemetery (built in 1932).

Awards and Later Career

Elmar Lohk won several awards for his architecture in international competitions. He received prizes for his designs for the Officer’s Casino in Kaunas, the Town Hall in Tallinn, and the Tallinn Art Museum.

In 1940, during a difficult time for Estonia, Lohk's wife Ilse and his parents faced challenges and had to leave their home. Elmar Lohk himself had to seek safety abroad. In 1943, he worked in Finland at the office of another famous architect, Alvar Aalto. In 1944, he moved to Sweden.

In Sweden, Elmar Lohk continued his successful career. In 1944, he won first prize in a competition for the Sahlgrenska hospital project in Göteborg. He worked on this large hospital project until it was finished in 1959. Elmar Lohk passed away in 1963.

Gallery

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  The Scandic Hotel Palace in Tallinn, built in 1936.

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  The Scandic Hotel Palace from a different angle.

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  An office building on Vabaduse Square in Tallinn, from 1936.

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  A closer look at the building's design, which shows influence from the Chicago school of architecture.

Images for kids

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  Elmar Lohk