Johann Otto von Spreckelsen
Encyclopedia
Johann Otto von Spreckelsen (May 4, 1929—March 16, 1987) was a Danish
architect
.
He was born in Viborg
and studied at the Viborg Katedralskole
and Royal Academy of Arts in Copenhagen
, and later served as director up to his death.
He directed the creation of several modern churches in Denmark
, Vangede Kirke near Copenhagen
(1974), Stavnsholt Kirke at the city of Farum
(1981) and the two Roman Catholic churches in Esbjerg
and Hvidovre
both consecrated to Saint Nicholas
. His best known work however is the Grande Arche
at La Défense
in Paris
.
He was a modest man, who once in an interview declared that he was an architect who built three churches and one Arch. He relied heavily on simple geometrical figures, especially the quadrant, which can be seen in his churches, in the interior decorations even of church organs.
His design won the international competition of the Grande Arche
in Paris, France, because the French President François Mitterrand
felt it was the best because of its 'purity and strength'. This work of 100 meters of height was inaugurated in 1989, two years after his death, uses with remarkable ability the technology of our times and is inspired by the nearby Arc de Triomphe
. The monument is located in the heart of the financial district of La Défense and is built of granite
and of Carrara
marble
. From its terrace it is possible to admire a panoramic view all along the Champs-Élysées
with the Arc de Triomphe, the obelisk at the Place de la Concorde
and the gardens of the Tuilleries and the Louvre
beyond.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
.
He was born in Viborg
Viborg, Denmark
Viborg , a town in central Jutland, Denmark, is the seat of both Viborg municipality and Region Midtjylland. Viborg is also the seat of the Western High Court, the High Court for the Jutland peninsula...
and studied at the Viborg Katedralskole
Viborg Katedralskole
Viborg Katedralskole is a public gymnasium in Viborg, Denmark. The school is located at Gammel Skivevej 2 in Viborg and supports 760 students.- History :...
and Royal Academy of Arts in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, and later served as director up to his death.
He directed the creation of several modern churches in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Vangede Kirke near Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
(1974), Stavnsholt Kirke at the city of Farum
Farum municipality
Farum municipality was a municipality in the northeast of the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. On January 1, 2007 it merged with Værløse municipality to form the new Furesø municipality as a consequence of Denmark's Municipal Reform....
(1981) and the two Roman Catholic churches in Esbjerg
Esbjerg
Esbjerg Municipality is a municipality in Region of Southern Denmark on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in southwest Denmark. Its mayor is Johnny Søtrup, from the Venstre political party...
and Hvidovre
Hvidovre
Hvidovre Kommune is a municipality in Region Hovedstaden near Copenhagen on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 22 km², and has a total population of 49,380...
both consecrated to Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
. His best known work however is the Grande Arche
Grande Arche
La Grande Arche de la Défense is a monument and building in the business district of La Défense and in the commune of Puteaux, to the west of Paris, France...
at La Défense
La Défense
La Défense is a major business district of the Paris aire urbaine. With a population of 20,000, it is centered in an orbital motorway straddling the Hauts-de-Seine département municipalities of Nanterre, Courbevoie and Puteaux...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
He was a modest man, who once in an interview declared that he was an architect who built three churches and one Arch. He relied heavily on simple geometrical figures, especially the quadrant, which can be seen in his churches, in the interior decorations even of church organs.
Grande Arche
La Grande Arche de la Défense is a monument and building in the business district of La Défense and in the commune of Puteaux, to the west of Paris, France...
in Paris, France, because the French President François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
felt it was the best because of its 'purity and strength'. This work of 100 meters of height was inaugurated in 1989, two years after his death, uses with remarkable ability the technology of our times and is inspired by the nearby Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe
-The design:The astylar design is by Jean Chalgrin , in the Neoclassical version of ancient Roman architecture . Major academic sculptors of France are represented in the sculpture of the Arc de Triomphe: Jean-Pierre Cortot; François Rude; Antoine Étex; James Pradier and Philippe Joseph Henri Lemaire...
. The monument is located in the heart of the financial district of La Défense and is built of granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
and of Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
. From its terrace it is possible to admire a panoramic view all along the Champs-Élysées
Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
with the Arc de Triomphe, the obelisk at the Place de la Concorde
Place de la Concorde
The Place de la Concorde in area, it is the largest square in the French capital. It is located in the city's eighth arrondissement, at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées.- History :...
and the gardens of the Tuilleries and the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
beyond.
Source
- Torben Weirup (ed.): Det Åbne Vindue, et essay om arkitekten Johan Otto von Spreckelsen, without place, 2003, ISBN 87-985316-3-8