Birgit Cold (born 1936) was a Danish-born Norwegian architect and educator. She established her own practice in

Trondheim Trondheim ( , , ; ), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros, and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2022, it had a population of 212,660. Trondheim is the third most populous municipality in Norway, and is ...

together with Tore Brantenberg and Edvard Hiorthøy in 1964 and became a professor at the

Norwegian University of Science and Technology The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU; ) is a public university, public research university in Norway and the largest in terms of enrollment. The university's headquarters is located in Trondheim (city), Trondheim, with region ...

in 1985. Her main areas of interest included the school environment and concern for well-being and health. Cold is also known for her sketching which she often used to express her understanding of architecture.

Biography

Born in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

on 8 April 1936, Cold studied architecture at

Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts () has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark. History The Royal Danish Academy of Portraiture, Sculpture, and Architecture in Cope ...

, graduating in 1961. She then spent a period working with the Danish architect and designer

Verner Panton Verner Panton (13 February 1926 – 5 September 1998) is considered one of Denmark's most influential 20th-century furniture and interior designers. During his career, he created innovative and futuristic designs in a variety of materials, espec ...

. In 1964, she moved to Norway. There, together with her husband Tore Brantenberg and the Norwegian architect Edvard Hiorthøy, she established the architectural firm Brantenberg, Cold and Hiorthøy in Trondheim and ran it until 2000. The firm is known above all for collective housing developments in new residential areas, earning first prize for designing the housing cooperative in Trondheim Risvollan in 1967. Skiboli B Cold 2

From 1980 to 2010, she was professor of the Department of Architectural Design and Management at Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She became a member of the university's research team which developed the Skiboli prototype, an experimental attempt at producing energy-saving low-cost housing with high flexibility. A modified version on the university campus is still in use today. Cold is also known for her sketches, often created with her own architecture project. She also used her sketches as an aid to teaching. In 2008, many were published in her book ''Skissen som santale'' (The Sketch for Discussion), published by Tapir Akademisk Forlag.

Recognition

Cold was a member of the

Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences The Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences (, NTVA) is a learned society based in Trondheim, Norway. Founded in 1955, the academy has about 500 members. It is a member of the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technologica ...

Family

Birgit Cold was the daughter of Sigurd Cold and Kirsten Alma Agga. In 1961, she married the architect Tore Brantenberg. The couple have two children.

Selected publications

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cold, Birgit 1936 births Danish women architects Norwegian women architects Academic staff of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology Architects from Copenhagen Architects from Trondheim Danish emigrants to Norway Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alumni Members of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences