Fred Severud
Encyclopedia
Fred N. Severud (June 8, 1899 - June 11, 1990 ) was a Norwegian-American structural engineer
, whose projects include the St. Louis Gateway Arch
and Madison Square Garden
in New York City
.
, gained recognition as a modern classical composer. Another brother, Bjarne, would be active within the Norwegian Resistance during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
during World War II
.
Severud studied at the Norwegian Institute of Technology
. In 1923, Severud emigrated to the United States, entering through Ellis Island
. Shortly thereafter, Severud started work for an engineering company, where he was rapidly promoted.
, and now known as Severud Associates. He also lectured and was the author of several books and articles on architectural and engineering subjects.
Severud utilized the experience he gained in his early years of designing successful housing projects and, along with Joseph Abel, wrote one of the industry’s first comprehensive books, Apartment Houses, on how to best design, build and operate apartment ventures. A few years later, as one of the few structural engineers in the world to have analyzed the forces from – and the effects of – atomic bombs, he also wrote a textbook on protection from nuclear explosions called The Bomb, Survival and You.
Frei Otto
, the German architect and engineer famous for membrane and tensile structures such as the Olympic Stadium in Munich, visited his office in 1951 during the construction of the Raleigh Livestock Arena, and Edmund (Ted) Happold
worked for a couple of years in his office.
, Severud was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering
in 1968. Severud received numerous personal engineering awards for being an industry pacesetter, among them the Ernest Howard Award and the Franklin P. Brown Medal. The American Institute of Architects
presented him with its prestigious Honorary Associate Member award for his lifetime of contributions to structural design.
at the age of 91 from Alzheimer's disease
.
Structural engineer
Structural engineers analyze, design, plan, and research structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals and ensure the safety and comfort of users or occupants...
, whose projects include the St. Louis Gateway Arch
Gateway Arch
The Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is an arch that is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States...
and Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Background
Severud was born in Bergen, Norway to Herman and Cecilia Severud. His father was a businessman and owner of a margarine factory in Bergen. His parents encouraged their children to attend college.. Severud had two brothers and nine sisters. One brother, Harald SæverudHarald Sæverud
Harald Sigurd Johan Sæverud was a Norwegian composer. He is most known for his music to Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Rondo Amoroso, and the Ballad of Revolt . Sæverud wrote nine symphonies, and a large number of pieces for solo piano...
, gained recognition as a modern classical composer. Another brother, Bjarne, would be active within the Norwegian Resistance during the Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
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...
.
Severud studied at the Norwegian Institute of Technology
Norwegian Institute of Technology
The Norwegian Institute of Technology, known by its Norwegian abbrevation NTH was a science institute in Trondheim, Norway. It was established in 1910, and existed as an independent technical university for 85 years, after which it was merged into the University of Trondheim as an independent...
. In 1923, Severud emigrated to the United States, entering through Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
. Shortly thereafter, Severud started work for an engineering company, where he was rapidly promoted.
Career
In 1928 he founded an engineering consultancy in Manhattan called Severud-Elstad-Krueger Associates, renamed twenty years later as Severud-Perrone-Sturm-BandelHannskarl Bandel
Hannskarl Bandel , was a German American structural engineer.-Early life:...
, and now known as Severud Associates. He also lectured and was the author of several books and articles on architectural and engineering subjects.
Severud utilized the experience he gained in his early years of designing successful housing projects and, along with Joseph Abel, wrote one of the industry’s first comprehensive books, Apartment Houses, on how to best design, build and operate apartment ventures. A few years later, as one of the few structural engineers in the world to have analyzed the forces from – and the effects of – atomic bombs, he also wrote a textbook on protection from nuclear explosions called The Bomb, Survival and You.
Frei Otto
Frei Otto
Frei Paul Otto is a German architect and structural engineer.- Life :Otto was born in Siegmar . He studied architecture in Berlin before being drafted into the Luftwaffe as a fighter pilot in the last years of World War II...
, the German architect and engineer famous for membrane and tensile structures such as the Olympic Stadium in Munich, visited his office in 1951 during the construction of the Raleigh Livestock Arena, and Edmund (Ted) Happold
Edmund Happold
Professor Sir Edmund Happold , better known as Ted Happold, was a structural engineer and founder of Buro Happold.- Career :...
worked for a couple of years in his office.
Selected projects
- J. S. Dorton Arena, Raleigh (1953) (architect Matthew Nowicki)
- Place Ville Marie, Montreal (1962) (architect I M Pei)
- Haus der Kulturen der WeltHaus der Kulturen der WeltThe Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin is Germany's national centre for contemporary non-European art. It presents art exhibitions, theater and dance performances, concerts, author readings, films and academic conferences on non-European Visual Art and culture...
, Berlin (House of the Cultures of the World) (1957) (architect Hugh Stubbins) - David S. Ingalls Hockey RinkIngalls RinkDavid S. Ingalls Rink is a hockey rink in New Haven, CT designed by architect Eero Saarinen and built between 1953 and 1958 for Yale University. It is commonly referred to as The Whale, due to its appearance. The rink stands at the intersection of Prospect and Sachem Streets. The building was...
at Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
(1959) (architect Eero SaarinenEero SaarinenEero Saarinen was a Finnish American architect and industrial designer of the 20th century famous for varying his style according to the demands of the project: simple, sweeping, arching structural curves or machine-like rationalism.-Biography:Eero Saarinen shared the same birthday as his father,...
) - Toronto City HallToronto City HallThe City Hall of Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the home of the city's municipal government and one of its most distinctive landmarks. Designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell and landscape architect Richard Strong, and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened in 1965...
(opened 1965) (architect Viljo RevellViljo RevellViljo Revell was a Finnish architect of the functionalist school. Internationally Revell is best known for designing the Toronto City Hall....
) - St Louis Gateway ArchGateway ArchThe Gateway Arch, or Gateway to the West, is an arch that is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis, Missouri. It was built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States...
, (completed 1965) (architect Eero SaarinenEero SaarinenEero Saarinen was a Finnish American architect and industrial designer of the 20th century famous for varying his style according to the demands of the project: simple, sweeping, arching structural curves or machine-like rationalism.-Biography:Eero Saarinen shared the same birthday as his father,...
)
Selected works
- The Bomb, Survival, and You: Protection for people, buildings, equipment (1954)
- Apartment Houses (1947)
Honors
A fellow in the ASCEAmerican Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
, Severud was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
in 1968. Severud received numerous personal engineering awards for being an industry pacesetter, among them the Ernest Howard Award and the Franklin P. Brown Medal. The American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
presented him with its prestigious Honorary Associate Member award for his lifetime of contributions to structural design.
Personal life
On Sept. 11, 1923 he married Signe Hansen, whom he had known at the Norwegian Institute of Technology. They would have four children–Fred, Jr., Inger, Laila and Sonja. Severud left engineering behind on his retirement in 1973, just before his 74th birthday. Thereafter, he focused his time on voluntary work for a Bible-oriented religious organization. He died at his home in Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
at the age of 91 from Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
.
Other sources
- Weingardt, Richard G. Engineering Legends: Great American Civil Engineers (American Society of Civil Engineers. 2005)