Valdemar Koch
Encyclopedia
Otto Valdemar Koch was a Danish
architect and local politician. He designed a number of churches in Copenhagen
.
. His parents were pastor Hans Peter Gyllembourg and Anne Oline Parelius. In 1871 he joined Chr. V. Nielsens drawing school and was then admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from where he graduated in 1879.
Koch initially worked as a draughtsman
for Ludvig Fenger
and Hermann Baagøe Storck. He participated independently in the competition for the new Copenhagen City Hall
which was held in early 1889. Despite support from the influential Ferdinand Meldahl he failed to win but later admitted that Martin Nyrop
's winning proposal was more modern. Instead he entered local politics in Copenhagen, where he was a member of the City Council from 1891 to 1897., and as an architect specialised in the design of churches. In 1896 he also surveyed the limestone churches in the area around Grenå
.
Koch also designed a memorial cross to Svend Magnussens at Grathe Heath in Jutland
(1892) and another one over Knud Lavards at Haraldsted just north of Ringsted
on central Zealand. He is buried at Vestre Cemetery
.
's Italian-Danish school as opposed to Ferdinand Meldahl's more internationally inclined, "European" school. His work demonstrates a thorough knowledge of architectural archaeology and history with Romanesque architecture
as his main source of inspiration. The Church of Christ
in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen is an example of the Italian inspiration while the use of red brick in the interior of the Apostle Church demonstrates Danish influence.
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 and local politician. He designed a number of churches 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...
.
Biography
Valdemar Koch was born in Sønder Kirkeby on the island of FalsterFalster
Falster is an island in south-eastern Denmark with an area of 514 km² and 43,398 inhabitants as of 1 January 2010. Located in the Baltic sea, it is part of Region Sjælland and is administered by Guldborgsund Municipality...
. His parents were pastor Hans Peter Gyllembourg and Anne Oline Parelius. In 1871 he joined Chr. V. Nielsens drawing school and was then admitted to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts from where he graduated in 1879.
Koch initially worked as a draughtsman
Draughtsman
A draughtsman or draftsman , is a person skilled in drawing, either:*drawing for artistic purposes, or*technical drawing for practical purposes such as architecture or engineering...
for Ludvig Fenger
Ludvig Fenger
Ludvig Peter Fenger was a Danish architect. He was a proponent of the Historicist style and from 1886 to 1904 he was City Architect in Copenhagen....
and Hermann Baagøe Storck. He participated independently in the competition for the new Copenhagen City Hall
Copenhagen City Hall
Copenhagen City Hall is the headquarters of the Municipal Council as well as the Lord mayor of the City of Copenhagen, Denmark. The building is situated on The City Hall Square in central Copenhagen....
which was held in early 1889. Despite support from the influential Ferdinand Meldahl he failed to win but later admitted that Martin Nyrop
Martin Nyrop
Martin Nyrop was a Danish architect who designed the Copenhagen City Hall, the Vallekilde Højskole, and the majority of the buildings for the Nordic Industrial, Agricultural and Art Exhibition.-Selected buildings:...
's winning proposal was more modern. Instead he entered local politics in Copenhagen, where he was a member of the City Council from 1891 to 1897., and as an architect specialised in the design of churches. In 1896 he also surveyed the limestone churches in the area around Grenå
Grenå
Grenaa or Grenå is a town in central Denmark with a population of 14,308 . The town centre is about 2 km west of the east coast of the Djursland peninsula in Jutland's Region Midtjylland...
.
Koch also designed a memorial cross to Svend Magnussens at Grathe Heath in Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
(1892) and another one over Knud Lavards at Haraldsted just north of Ringsted
Ringsted
Ringsted, a city in Ringsted municipality, is in the middle of the Danish island of Zealand. The municipal population is about 31,000 and the city population is 21,151 .Ringsted is approximately 60 km from Copenhagen.-Modern hotspot:...
on central Zealand. He is buried at Vestre Cemetery
Vestre Cemetery
Vestre Cemetery is located in a large park setting in the Kongens Enghave district of Copenhagen, Denmark. With its 54 hectares it is the largest cemetery in Denmark.Beautifully landscaped, it also serves as an important open space,...
.
Style
Koch belonged to Johan Daniel HerholdtJohan Daniel Herholdt
Johan Daniel Herholdt was a Danish architect, professor and royal building inspector. He worked in the Historicist style and had a significant influence on Danish architecture during the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century...
's Italian-Danish school as opposed to Ferdinand Meldahl's more internationally inclined, "European" school. His work demonstrates a thorough knowledge of architectural archaeology and history with Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
as his main source of inspiration. The Church of Christ
Church of Christ, Copenhagen
The Church of Christ is a Church of Denmark parish church situated on Enghave Plads in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. Completed in 1900 to the design of Valdemar Koch, wjo also built several other churches in Copenhagen around that time, it was the first new church to be opened in...
in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen is an example of the Italian inspiration while the use of red brick in the interior of the Apostle Church demonstrates Danish influence.
Selected works
- Kapernaum Church, Nørrebro, Copenhagen (1896)
- Zion's Church, Østerbro, Copenhagen (1896)
- St. Luke's ChurchSt. Luke's Church, CopenhagenSt. Luke's Church is a Church of Denmark church located in the Frederiksberg district of Copenhagen, Denmark. Completed in 1897 to the design of Valdemar Koch, who also built several other churches in Copenhagen around that time, it is the second oldest church in Frederiksberg.-History:By the late...
, Frederiksberg, Copenhagen (1897) - Church of ChristChurch of Christ, CopenhagenThe Church of Christ is a Church of Denmark parish church situated on Enghave Plads in the Vesterbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark. Completed in 1900 to the design of Valdemar Koch, wjo also built several other churches in Copenhagen around that time, it was the first new church to be opened in...
, Vesterbro, Copenhagen (1900) - Apostle Church, Vesterbro, Copenhagen (1901)
- Reersø Church, Kalundborg MunicipalityKalundborg municipalityKalundborg municipality is a municipality in Region Sjælland on the west coast of the island of Zealand in Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 598 km², and has a total population of 49,743 . Its mayor is Martin Damm, a member of Venstre...
, Denmark (1904) - Church of Our Saviour, VejleVejleVejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...
, Denmark (1904)