Ernő Goldfinger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ernő Goldfinger
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 11 September 1902 |
| Died | 15 November 1987 (aged 85) London, England
|
| Nationality | Hungarian |
| Alma mater | École nationale supérieure des beaux arts |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Children | Elizabeth Goldfinger |
| Buildings | 2 Willow Road Alexander Fleming House Balfron Tower Carradale House Trellick Tower |
Ernő Goldfinger RA (born September 11, 1902 – died November 15, 1987) was an important architect and furniture designer. He was born in Hungary but moved to the United Kingdom in the 1930s. He became a key part of the Modernist movement.
Goldfinger is best known for designing tall apartment buildings, also called tower blocks. Some of his buildings are now protected as listed buildings because of their historical importance.
Contents
Ernő Goldfinger's Life Story
Goldfinger was born in Budapest, Hungary, into a Jewish family. His family owned a business that worked with forests and sawmills. At first, Ernő thought about becoming an engineer. However, he became very interested in architecture after reading a book about English homes. He loved this book so much that he recommended it for most of his life.
In 1921, Goldfinger moved to Paris, France. In 1923, he began studying at a famous art school there. During these years, he met many other well-known architects. These included Auguste Perret, Mies van der Rohe, and Le Corbusier.
Even before finishing his studies, Goldfinger started working. He designed several interiors and an addition to a holiday home. He was greatly inspired by Le Corbusier's book, Vers une architecture. He also admired Auguste Perret, who was an expert in building with reinforced concrete. Perret's work inspired Goldfinger when he designed his own home.
In the early 1930s, Goldfinger met and married Ursula Blackwell. She was from a wealthy family. After this, Goldfinger stayed in the UK for the rest of his career.
Modernist Buildings in London
In 1934, Ernő and Ursula Goldfinger moved into an apartment in London. Before World War II, Goldfinger designed and built three houses. These included his own home at 1–3 Willow Road in Hampstead, North London. He also built another house in Essex. His own house, 2 Willow Road, is now looked after by the National Trust.
After World War II: Rebuilding Britain
After World War II, many houses in Britain were destroyed or damaged. This caused a huge housing shortage. The British Government started to see tall buildings as a good way to solve this problem. Goldfinger became very well known for designing these tower blocks.
He was asked to design new offices for a newspaper and the headquarters for the British Communist Party. In the 1950s, he designed two primary schools in London. These schools were made from pre-made concrete parts with brick walls.
Goldfinger also designed Alexander Fleming House in south-east London. He also designed the Odeon cinema in Elephant & Castle, which opened in 1966. This cinema has since been taken down.
Famous High-Rise Buildings
Among his most famous buildings are the 27-floor Balfron Tower and the nearby eleven-story Carradale House in Poplar. These buildings were models for the even taller 31-floor Trellick Tower in Kensal Town. Trellick Tower was started in 1968 and finished in 1972. These three buildings are great examples of a style called Brutalist architecture. This style uses lots of raw concrete and has a strong, blocky look.
Ernő Goldfinger's Personal Life
Goldfinger was known for being a serious person. He sometimes got very angry. He even fired assistants if they joked around too much. Once, he asked two possible clients to leave because they tried to tell him how to design.
A funny story involves the famous author Ian Fleming. Fleming created the villain Auric Goldfinger in his James Bond books. He named the character after Ernő Goldfinger. This happened after a discussion on a golf course with Ernő's cousin. Fleming had been one of the people who didn't like Goldfinger's house at 2 Willow Road.
When Fleming's book Goldfinger came out in 1959, Ernő Goldfinger thought about suing him. Fleming joked that he would rename the character 'Goldprick' instead. In the end, Goldfinger decided not to sue. Fleming's publishers agreed to pay his legal costs and gave him six free copies of the book.
Ernő Goldfinger passed away on November 15, 1987, when he was 85 years old.
Ernő Goldfinger's Legacy
At first, many people, including some post-modernist architects, did not like Goldfinger's buildings. However, he enjoyed living in his own designs. As time went on, people started to appreciate his work more.
Today, Trellick Tower is a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical building. It has even become a design icon, appearing on T-shirts, paintings, and in songs. The few apartments in Trellick Tower that are privately owned sell for high prices.
Balfron Tower and Carradale House are also listed as Grade II buildings. Another building by Goldfinger's team, the 14-story Glenkerry House, is run by its residents as a housing co-operative. It is seen as a great example of how to manage these types of buildings.
In 2000, Ernő Goldfinger's family set up a fund. This fund helps young Hungarian architecture students study, travel, or work in the UK. This was done to honor his achievements and his dedication to his job. Several scholarships were given out between 2002 and 2011.
Buildings by Ernő Goldfinger
- 2 Willow Road
- Alexander Fleming House (also known as Metro Central Heights)
- Balfron Tower, Carradale House, and Glenkerry House
- Trellick Tower and the nearby Cheltenham Estate / Edenham Way
- Fulton House, at Swansea University
- Greenside School
- Haggerston School
- Brandlehow School and its caretaker's cottage
- Weiss shop – 2/2a Golders Green Road (built in 1935)
- Hille House, Watford
- Goldfinger House, Shirley, Solihull
See also
In Spanish: Ernő Goldfinger para niños
