Einar Oscar Schou was a Norwegian architect. He is most noted for his design of Den Nationale Scene

Den Nationale Scene

Den Nationale Scene is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatre in Norway.-History:...

 in Bergen

Bergen

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....

, Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

.

Background

Einar Oscar Schou was born in Kristiania

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

, Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

. He studied at the Royal Drawing School

Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry

The Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry was established in 1818.In 1996 the National Academy of Craft and Art Industry became part of Oslo National Academy of the Arts .-Noted alumni:-External links:*...

 from 1898 to 1901. He was assistant to the architect Halfdan Berle in Oslo from 1899-1901. He studied at the Art Academy in Stockholm

Stockholm

Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...

 between 1901-1903. After graduation, he became head of the Agi Lindgren architectural firm in Stockholm and was there for three years. In 1907, he founded his own architectural practice and ran this until after World War II. From 1935-51, he was director of the Bergen Arts School (Bergens kunsthåndverksskole), now part of the Bergen National Academy of the Arts

Bergen National Academy of the Arts

Bergen National Academy of the Arts or KHiB is one of the two independent institutions of higher learning in the visual arts and design in Norway. It is located in Bergen, Norway.-History:...

.

Career

His best known work is the design of the theatre Den Nationale Scene

Den Nationale Scene

Den Nationale Scene is the largest theatre in Bergen, Norway. Den Nationale Scene is also one of the oldest permanent theatre in Norway.-History:...

 at Engen in Bergen

Bergen

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....

. In 1904, he won the competition for the theater building, where his proposal was preferred over veteran Bergen-based architect, Henrik Bull

Henrik Bull

Henrik Bull was a Norwegian architect and designer. Among his works are the Paulus Church at Grünerløkka in Oslo, the National Theater, the Historical Museum in Oslo, and the Government Building. He also designed coins for Norges Bank, and participated at the Kristiania Jubilée exhibition at...

. The theater building designed by Schou opened on 19 February 1909, with King Haakon VII of Norway

Haakon VII of Norway

Haakon VII , known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the personal union with Sweden. He was a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg...

 and Queen Maud

Maud of Wales

Princess Maud of Wales was Queen of Norway as spouse of King Haakon VII. She was a member of the British Royal Family as the youngest daughter of Edward VII and Alexandra of Denmark and granddaughter of Queen Victoria and also of Christian IX of Denmark. She was the younger sister of George V...

in attendance. The hall, foyer and lobby were largely destroyed during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. In 2001 the building was brought back almost to its original shape.

Schou was Chairman of the Bergen Art Society 1914-15. He served on the Bergen city council for the Norwegian Conservative Party from 1929 to 1937 and was a member of a number of Bergen municipal councils and committees. Schou was decorated Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1909. Schou earned the Houen Foundation diploma in 1912.

Other sources

• Aarseth, Asbjørn Den Nationale Scene : 1901-31 (Oslo: Gyldendal. 1969)