F. S. Platou
Encyclopedia
Frithjof Stoud Platou was a Norwegian
architect. He worked for the international architects Lars Backer
and Erich Mendelsohn
before he established his own architectural firm in Oslo
. Among his most famous works are the Grand Hotel in Oslo
, the Kon-Tiki Museum
and Hotel Stefan.
to the banker Gabriel Andreas Stoud Platou
(1858–1911) and his wife Ingeborg Sophie Falck (1864–1958). His only brother was Ragnar Stoud Platou
, who later became a ship broker.
Platou was nephew of Christian Emil
and Waldemar Stoud Platou
, and cousin of Karen Platou
.
In 1931, Platou married Aagot Jeanette Robsahm (1907–56), a daughter of wholesaler Andreas Robsahm (1878–1949) and his wife Aagot Manskow (1883–1970).
in Hamar. He thereupon travelled to Switzerland
where he studied architecture at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich from 1922 to 1926. He also studied economics in London
in 1925. Lars Backer
thereafter employed him as assistant in Oslo. In 1929–30, Platou was employed by Erich Mendelsohn
.
In 1930, Platou started his own architectural firm
, which he named after himself. The Norwegian architects Otto Torgersen
and Bernt Heiberg
worked in his firm, which designed various functionalist
buildings in Oslo. After the Second World War, the office was expanded with more architects, who designed many banking centers
and enterprise buildings in Oslo. They also designed the Kon-Tiki Museum
at Bygdøy
and the headquarters of the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities
in Vika
in the city centre
. After a fire in 1957, Platou designed a new building for the Grand Hotel in Oslo
the following year. In 1971, his architectural firm was converted into a limited company
.
Platou was co-founder of Norconsult
, and headed the company from 1963 to 1968. He also had honoraries in some other architectural organisations in Norway. He died on 12 August 1980.
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...
architect. He worked for the international architects Lars Backer
Lars Backer
Lars Thalian Backer was a Norwegian architect.Backer was educated at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts under the supervision of Herman Major Schirmer and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, from which he graduated in 1915....
and Erich Mendelsohn
Erich Mendelsohn
Erich Mendelsohn was a Jewish German architect, known for his expressionist architecture in the 1920s, as well as for developing a dynamic functionalism in his projects for department stores and cinemas.-Early life:...
before he established his own architectural firm in Oslo
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...
. Among his most famous works are the Grand Hotel in Oslo
Grand Hotel (Oslo)
Grand Hotel is a hotel in Oslo, Norway. The hotel is best known as is the annual venue of the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.Grand Hotel is situated in a very central location on the main thoroughfare, the Karl Johans gate, between the Norwegian Parliament building and the Royal Palace. It is...
, the Kon-Tiki Museum
Kon-Tiki Museum
The Kon-Tiki Museum is a museum at the archipelago Bygdøy in Oslo, Norway. It houses vessels and maps from the Kon-Tiki expedition, as well as a library with about 8000 books. It was opened in a provisional building in 1949. In 1957, the current building—designed by architects F. S. Platou and Otto...
and Hotel Stefan.
Personal life
Platou was born in HamarHamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
to the banker Gabriel Andreas Stoud Platou
Gabriel Andreas Stoud Platou
Gabriel Andreas Stoud Platou was a Norwegian banker and politician for the Conservative Party.-Personal life:He was as a son of banker Christian Fredrik Stoud Platou , brother of Christian Emil Stoud Platou and Waldemar Stoud Platou, grandnephew of Ludvig Stoud Platou, uncle of Karen Platou and...
(1858–1911) and his wife Ingeborg Sophie Falck (1864–1958). His only brother was Ragnar Stoud Platou
Ragnar Stoud Platou
-Personal life:Platou was born to the banker Gabriel Andreas Stoud Platou and his wife Ingeborg Sophie Falck . His younger brother was the architect Frithjof Stoud Platou...
, who later became a ship broker.
Platou was nephew of Christian Emil
Christian Emil Stoud Platou
Christian Emil Stoud Platou was a Norwegian railroad director and politician for the Conservative Party.-Personal life:...
and Waldemar Stoud Platou
Waldemar Stoud Platou
Waldemar Stoud Platou was a Norwegian businessperson. He had a long career in the brewery industry.-Personal life:He was born in Furnes as the son of banker Christian Fredrik Stoud Platou and Elise Sem...
, and cousin of Karen Platou
Karen Platou
Karen Platou was a Norwegian businesswoman and a politician for the Conservative Party. Platou was the country's first woman to be elected Member of Parliament....
.
In 1931, Platou married Aagot Jeanette Robsahm (1907–56), a daughter of wholesaler Andreas Robsahm (1878–1949) and his wife Aagot Manskow (1883–1970).
Career
In 1921, he took an examen artiumExamen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1630...
in Hamar. He thereupon travelled to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
where he studied architecture at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich from 1922 to 1926. He also studied economics in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1925. Lars Backer
Lars Backer
Lars Thalian Backer was a Norwegian architect.Backer was educated at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts under the supervision of Herman Major Schirmer and the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, from which he graduated in 1915....
thereafter employed him as assistant in Oslo. In 1929–30, Platou was employed by Erich Mendelsohn
Erich Mendelsohn
Erich Mendelsohn was a Jewish German architect, known for his expressionist architecture in the 1920s, as well as for developing a dynamic functionalism in his projects for department stores and cinemas.-Early life:...
.
In 1930, Platou started his own architectural firm
Architectural firm
An architectural firm is a company which employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture.- History :Architects have existed since early in recorded history. The earliest recorded architects include Imhotep and Senemut . No writings exist to describe how these...
, which he named after himself. The Norwegian architects Otto Torgersen
Otto Torgersen
Otto Torgersen was a Norwegian architect, born in Trondheim.Among his designs were the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology at Etterstad from 1960, and the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences at Sogn from 1971. He was responsible for designing the exhibitions at Norway's Resistance Museum...
and Bernt Heiberg
Bernt Heiberg
Johan Bernt Krohg Heiberg was a Norwegian architect.-Early and personal life:He was born in Kristiania to the barrister Axel Heiberg and his wife Ragnhild Krohg . He had two brothers: Axel Heiberg jr. and Edvard Heiberg...
worked in his firm, which designed various functionalist
Functionalism (architecture)
Functionalism, in architecture, is the principle that architects should design a building based on the purpose of that building. This statement is less self-evident than it first appears, and is a matter of confusion and controversy within the profession, particularly in regard to modern...
buildings in Oslo. After the Second World War, the office was expanded with more architects, who designed many banking centers
Branch (banking)
A branch, banking center or financial center is a retail location where a bank, credit union, or other financial institution offers a wide array of face-to-face and automated services to its customers....
and enterprise buildings in Oslo. They also designed the Kon-Tiki Museum
Kon-Tiki Museum
The Kon-Tiki Museum is a museum at the archipelago Bygdøy in Oslo, Norway. It houses vessels and maps from the Kon-Tiki expedition, as well as a library with about 8000 books. It was opened in a provisional building in 1949. In 1957, the current building—designed by architects F. S. Platou and Otto...
at Bygdøy
Bygdøy
Bygdøy or Bygdø is a peninsula on the western side of Oslo, Norway. Administratively, Bygdøy belongs to the borough of Frogner.Bygdøy has several museums, like the Kon-Tiki Museum, which shows all year long the legendary expeditions of Thor Heyerdahl; the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History ; the...
and the headquarters of the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities
Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities
The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities is an employers' organisation in Norway.It was founded in 1972 as a merger between the Union of Norwegian Cities and the Norwegian Association of Rural Municipalities...
in Vika
Vika, Oslo
Vika is a neighborhood in the borough Frogner in Oslo, Norway. It is located between the Oslofjord, Aker Brygge, Pipervika, Slottsparken and Oslo City Hall....
in the city centre
Sentrum, Oslo
Sentrum meaning city-center is located on the southeast side of the city near the inner Oslofjord.The district is dominated by high rises like Postgirobygget and The Plaza. Oslos Central Station is located on the eastern side of the borough. Sentrum consists of Bjørvika which has a history as...
. After a fire in 1957, Platou designed a new building for the Grand Hotel in Oslo
Grand Hotel (Oslo)
Grand Hotel is a hotel in Oslo, Norway. The hotel is best known as is the annual venue of the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.Grand Hotel is situated in a very central location on the main thoroughfare, the Karl Johans gate, between the Norwegian Parliament building and the Royal Palace. It is...
the following year. In 1971, his architectural firm was converted into a limited company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
.
Platou was co-founder of Norconsult
Norconsult
Norconsult is Norway's and one of Scandinavia's largest multidisciplinary engineering and design consultancies. The company was founded in 1929, and has its headquarters in Sandvika, just outside Oslo, Norway. Norconsult has about 1850 employees, of which about 400 work outside of Norway...
, and headed the company from 1963 to 1968. He also had honoraries in some other architectural organisations in Norway. He died on 12 August 1980.