Ivar Justus Tengbom

Ivar Justus Tengbom
b. Vireda, Sweden, 1878;
d. Stockholm, 1968.

Ivar Justus Tengbom was an influential early 20-century Swedish famous architect and teacher. Tengbom began his architectural studies at the Chalmers Technical Institute in Goteborg in 1894 and went on to attend the Academy of Art in Stockholm, where he received the Gold Medal in 1901. Between 1900 and 1906 he travelled extensively round Europe, including among his many ports of call Denmark, where he became familiar with the simple classicism of Martin Nyrop and Hack Kampmann. Tengbom was in practice with Ernst Torulf (1903-12) and then later with his son Anders, and was active in the Royal Building Administration; he became its director in 1924. He also embarked upon an academic career, joining the Academy of Art as professor in 1916 and subsequently becoming its president. Tengbom was an enormously influential teacher and practitioner both in Sweden and abroad. His principal contribution was the development of a modernized Neo-Classicism which combined historical, functional and traditional elements within an elegant whole. Tengbom’s career reflected a move away from the early National Romantic style of the Hogalid Church (designed in 1911) to the simple cubic mass of the Stockholm Concert Hall (1923-6). From 1920 to 1930 his work pre-empted the stripped classicism which emerged as a potent force in Europe and America during the 30s. Tengbom’s distinguished reputation was enhanced by numerous honours, including the RIBA Gold Medal (1938).

Major buildings / works:
Hogalid Church, Stockholm, designed 1911, executed 1917-23.
Concert Hall, Stockholm, 1923-6.
Swedish Match Company Headquarters, Stockholm, 1926-8.
City Palace Offices, Stockholm (with Nils Ahrsom), 1930-32.

Bibliography:
G. E. Kidder Smith, Sweden Builds, New York and Stockholm, 1956.
Simo Paavilainen, Nordic Classicism 1910-1930, Helsinki, 1982.

Filed Under T on March 16, 2008

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