Vladimir Ossipoff
Encyclopedia
Vladimir ‘Val’ Ossipoff was an American
architect
best known for his works in Hawaii.
Vladimir Ossipoff was born November 25, 1907 in Vladivostok
, Russia
, but grew up in Tokyo
, Japan
, where his father was a military attaché
of the Russian embassy, and emigrated to the United States
in 1923. He moved to Honolulu, Hawaii
, after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley
in 1931 and said in the early 1960s that he carried on a "War on Ugliness," a struggle to counter what he felt was poor architectural design and unrestricted development of Honolulu. Ossipoff was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1956. He was awarded the first medal of honor of the AIA Hawaii chapter.
He was a member of The Pacific Club
, for which he designed a new building in 1959.
He died October 1, 1998 in Honolulu.
In 2007, the Honolulu Academy of Arts
organized the first museum retrospective
of his work. "Hawaiian Modern: The Architecture of Vladimir Ossipoff" was on view at the Academy from November 29, 2007, to January 27, 2008. The show was planned to travel next to the German Architecture Museum
in Frankfurt
, Germany
(Summer 2008) and the Yale School of Architecture
Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut
(Fall 2008).
Ossipoff has been called “the master of Hawaii modern architecture,” “the dean of residential architects in Hawaii,” and “the premier postwar designer of kama'aina
-style residences in Honolulu,” perhaps the most famous of which is the Liljestrand House
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
best known for his works in Hawaii.
Vladimir Ossipoff was born November 25, 1907 in Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, but grew up in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where his father was a military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
of the Russian embassy, and emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1923. He moved to Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1931 and said in the early 1960s that he carried on a "War on Ugliness," a struggle to counter what he felt was poor architectural design and unrestricted development of Honolulu. Ossipoff was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1956. He was awarded the first medal of honor of the AIA Hawaii chapter.
He was a member of The Pacific Club
The Pacific Club
The Pacific Club is a historic social club in Honolulu, Hawaii.-History:William Lowthian Green founded the club in 1851 and was its first president. It was originally called "The Mess", and then called "The British Club" since many of its members were former British residents. In 1892 it was...
, for which he designed a new building in 1959.
He died October 1, 1998 in Honolulu.
In 2007, the Honolulu Academy of Arts
Honolulu Academy of Arts
The Honolulu Academy of Arts is an art museum in Honolulu in the state of Hawaii. Since its founding in 1922 by Anna Rice Cooke and opening April 8, 1927, its collections have grown to over 40,000 works of art.-Description:...
organized the first museum retrospective
Art exhibition
Art exhibitions are traditionally the space in which art objects meet an audience. The exhibit is universally understood to be for some temporary period unless, as is rarely true, it is stated to be a "permanent exhibition". In American English, they may be called "exhibit", "exposition" or...
of his work. "Hawaiian Modern: The Architecture of Vladimir Ossipoff" was on view at the Academy from November 29, 2007, to January 27, 2008. The show was planned to travel next to the German Architecture Museum
German Architecture Museum
The German Architecture Museum is located on the Museumsufer in Frankfurt, Germany. Housed in an 18th-century building, the interior has been re-designed by Oswald Mathias Ungers in 1984 as a set of "elemental Platonic buildings within elemental Platonic buildings".The museum organises several...
in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(Summer 2008) and the Yale School of Architecture
Yale School of Architecture
The Yale School of Architecture is one of the constituent professional schools of Yale University. It is generally considered to be one of the most prestigious architecture schools in the world.- History :...
Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
(Fall 2008).
Ossipoff has been called “the master of Hawaii modern architecture,” “the dean of residential architects in Hawaii,” and “the premier postwar designer of kama'aina
Kama'aina
Kamaʻāina is the Hawaiian language word for a long-term resident of the Hawaiian Islands. Literally "child of the land," it derives from the words "kama", meaning "child", and "ʻāina", meaning 'land'...
-style residences in Honolulu,” perhaps the most famous of which is the Liljestrand House
Liljestrand House
The Liljestrand House at 3300 Tantalus Drive in Honolulu, Hawaii, was designed by Vladimir Ossipoff for Betty and Howard Liljestrand, a doctor and nurse who had bought the hillside site overlooking leeward Oahu in 1948...
.