Kay Otto Fisker, Hon. FAIA (14 February 1893 – 21 June 1965) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

architect, designer and educator. He is mostly known for his many housing projects, mainly in the

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

area, and is considered a leading exponent of Danish Functionalism.

Education and career

Kay Fisker was born on 14 February 1893 in

Frederiksberg Frederiksberg () is a part of the Capital Region of Denmark. It is formally an independent municipality, Frederiksberg Municipality, separate from Copenhagen Municipality, but both are a part of the City of Copenhagen. It occupies an area of ...

. He entered the

Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts ( da, Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi - Billedkunst Skolerne) has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark. History The Royal Dan ...

in 1909 and while there worked at the offices of leading Scandinavian architects such as Anthon Rosen,

Sigurd Lewerentz Sigurd Lewerentz (29 July 1885 – 29 December 1975) was a Swedish architect. Biography Lewerentz was born at Sandö in the parish of Bjärtrå in Västernorrland County, Sweden. He was the son of Gustaf Adolf Lewerentz and Hedvig Mathild ...

, Gunnar Asplund and

Hack Kampmann Hack Kampmann (6 September 1856 – 27 June 1920) was a Danish architect, Royal Inspector of Listed State Buildings in Jutland and professor at the architecture department of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. Marselisborg Palace in Aarhus, ...

parallel to his studies. In 1915, in collaboration with Aage Rafn, he won a competition to design the railway stations along the Almindingen-Gudhjem railway on the Danish island of Bornholm. After graduating, his career as a practising architect was dominated by numerous influential residential projects. Vestersøhus was built from 1935 to 1939 by Fisker and

C. F. Møller Christian Frederik Møller (31 October 1898 – 5 November 1988), generally referred to as C. F. Møller, was a Danish architect, professor and, from 1965 to 1969, the first rector of the Aarhus School of Architecture. His former practice, Arki ...

. It instantly became a model in Denmark for the balcony and bay window blocks of the time. A key building in his production was Aarhus University (1931–43), considered to be one of the most important examples of Danish Functionalism, which he designed in collaboration with

Povl Stegmann Povl Christian Stegmann (1888–1944) was a Danish architect remembered for designing Aarhus University in collaboration with Kay Fisker and C. F. Møller. His name is included in the Danish Culture Canon. Early life Born in Aarhus, Stegmann ...

, and Carl Theodor Marius Sørensen. Kay Fisker also designed the Danish Academy in Rome.

Academia

From 1936 to 1963 Fisker was a professor at the Royal Academy and as teacher of the school's class on housing he was known as an inspiring lecturer with great influence on Danish housing culture. In 1953 and 1957 he was a visiting professor at the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...

Selected buildings

* Railway stations, Bornholm (1915–15) * ''Hornbækhus'' housing, Copenhagen (1922) * Århus University,

Århus Aarhus (, , ; officially spelled Århus from 1948 until 1 January 2011) is the second-largest city in Denmark and the seat of Aarhus municipality, Aarhus Municipality. It is located on the eastern shore of Jutland in the Kattegat sea and app ...

(1932–43) * Vester Søhus housing, Copenhagen (with

, 1935–39) * ''

Dronningegården Dronningegården is a Modernist residential complex in central Copenhagen, Denmark, consisting of four L-shaped buildings defining an urban space around the intersection of Adelgade and Dronningens Tværgade. Designed by Kay Fisker in collaborati ...

'' housing, Copenhagen (with Eske Kristensen, 1943–58) * ''Voldparken'' housing, Copenhagen (with others, 1945–51) * Danish Academy in Rome,

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Italy (1963–65) File:Frederiksberg - functionalism.jpg, The multi-storey bays and windows are typical of the Nordic funkis style File:Skotterupgade - Hornbækhus.jpg, Hornbækhus (1923). Large apartment blocks in brick. File:Gullfosshus 01.jpg, Gullfosshus (1932). Monumental brick structures. File:Efeu omkring vinduerne, facade mod Universitetsparken.jpg, Aarhus University, facade detail. File:Århus Kommunehospital (uret).jpg, Århus Municipal Hospital, now Aarhus University File:Århus Kommunehospital (bygning 20).jpg, Århus Municipal Hospital, detail. Simple harmonious brick elements. File:Dronningegården - balconies.jpg, Dronningegården. File:Hansaviertel housing, berlin, Berlin.jpg, Haus Fisker apartment block in Berlin (1957). Typical modernist elements. File:Ansgar Kirche, Ansgar Kirke, Flensburg, Flensborg, Apenrader Straße.JPG, Ansgar Kirke, Flensburg, Germany

Awards

* 1926:

Eckersberg Medal The Eckersberg Medal (originally the ''Akademiets Aarsmedaille'' or Annual Academy Medal) is an annual award of the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. It is named after Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, known as the father of Danish painting. The Ec ...

* 1947: C. F. Hansen Medal * 1958:

Prince Eugen Medal The Prince Eugen Medal ( sv, Prins Eugen-medaljen) is a medal conferred by the King of Sweden for "outstanding artistic achievement". The medal was established in 1945 by the then King of Sweden, Gustaf V, in connection with the eightieth birthd ...

for architecture * 1964: Heinrich Tessenow Medal

Bibliography

* Ibler, Marianne: '' Kay Fisker and the Danish Academy in Rome''. Archipress. March 2006.

References

External links

*
Landsted tegnet af Kay Fisker

Kay Fisker på gravsted.dk
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fisker, Kay 1893 births 1965 deaths Danish architects 20th-century American architects Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alumni Honorary Fellows of the American Institute of Architects Recipients of the Eckersberg Medal Recipients of the C.F. Hansen Medal Recipients of the Prince Eugen Medal 01