Vilhelm Lauritzen facts for kids

Vilhelm Lauritzen (born September 9, 1894 – died December 22, 1984) was a very important Danish architect. He was known for his modern designs. He also started a famous architecture company called Vilhelm Lauritzen Arkitekter, which is still active today.

Vilhelm Lauritzen's Life and Work

Early Life and Training

Vilhelm Lauritzen was born in Slagelse, Denmark. He loved art and design from a young age. He went to study at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. He finished his studies in 1921.

In 1922, he started his own architecture company. It was named Vilhelm Lauritzen Arkitekter. He worked there for many years, helping to create amazing buildings.

Discovering Modern Architecture

In the late 1920s, Vilhelm Lauritzen traveled through Central Europe. He saw new and exciting building styles there. He learned about Functionalist architecture. This style focused on making buildings useful and practical. It also used new building methods and materials.

These ideas really inspired him. He started to design buildings that were modern and simple. This new style helped him become very famous.

Major Building Projects

One of his first big projects was the Daells Varehus department store in Copenhagen. It was built between 1928 and 1935. This building was one of the first examples of Modern architecture in Denmark.

He also won a competition to design the first Copenhagen Airport. This airport was built from 1937 to 1939. It was a very important building for travel in Denmark.

Another huge project was the national Danish Broadcasting Corporation building. This building is called Radiohuset. It was designed for radio broadcasts. His company also designed the television building for the same company.

Furniture Design

Besides buildings, Vilhelm Lauritzen also designed furniture. He often created furniture specifically for the buildings he designed. His lamps, especially the table lamps from the 1930s, are still popular today. They were made by a company called Louis Poulsen. People still look for his lamps at auctions because they are so special.

Famous Buildings by Vilhelm Lauritzen

Here are some of the well-known buildings Vilhelm Lauritzen designed:

• Daells Varehus, Copenhagen, Denmark (with Frits Schlegel, 1933)
• Radiohuset, Frederiksberg, Denmark (1936–1941)
• The original Copenhagen Airport terminal (1937–1939). This entire building was moved and fixed up in 1998 to save it.
• Gladsaxe Town Hall, Gladsaxe, Denmark (1937)
• Folkets Hus, Copenhagen, Denmark (1935–1956)
• Terminal 3, Copenhagen Airport, Copenhagen, Denmark (1995)
• Shell House, Copenhagen, Denmark
• Embassy of Denmark in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C., USA (1960)

See also

In Spanish: Vilhelm Lauritzen para niños