Henry Klumb
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Heinrich Klumb (1905 in
Cologne, Germany Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and over 3.1 million people in the Cologne Bonn urba ...
– 1984 in
San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...
) was a German
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
who worked in Puerto Rico during the mid 20th Century.


Education and early life

Klumb was born in
Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
, Germany, in 1905. An honors graduate of the Staatliche Bauschule School of Architecture in Cologne in 1926, his design education in Germany was influenced by the Deutsche Werkbund school, a fine arts program developed by German architect Herman Muthesius. Klumb emigrated to the United States in 1927, at the age of 22. He served as one of
Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...
's first apprentices (1929–1933) at
Taliesin Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early Britons (Celtic people), Brittonic poet of Sub-Roman Britain whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the ''Book of Taliesin''. Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to ...
in Spring Green, Wisconsin. While under Wright's apprenticeship, Klumb worked on the design of the Ocotillo Desert Camp near Phoenix, and led the exhibition of Wright's work in Europe in 1931. In August, 1931, while coordinating a Frank Lloyd Wright travelling exhibit, Klumb married Else Schmidt, returning to the United States in November of that year. They had two children, Peter (born 1936), and Richard (born 1940). Klumb became a US citizen in 1937. Klumb left Taliesin in 1933. In 1937 he established, along with
Louis I. Kahn Louis Isadore Kahn (born Itze-Leib Schmuilowsky; – March 17, 1974) was an Estonian-born American architect based in Philadelphia. After working in various capacities for several firms in Philadelphia, he founded his own atelier in 1935. Whil ...
and Louis Metzinger, the Cooperative Planners firm in Philadelphia concentrating in the design of low-cost pre-fabricated houses. He also designed a major exhibition of Native American Art for the
Golden Gate International Exposition The Golden Gate International Exposition (GGIE) was a World's Fair held at Treasure Island in San Francisco, California, U.S. The exposition operated from February 18, 1939, through October 29, 1939, and from May 25, 1940, through September 29, ...
of 1939 in
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
, where he lived before relocating to
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
in 1941. In Los Angeles, he helped develop the city's master plan. He was responsible for the design of the Battaglia, Coty and Meador houses in
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, CA, as well as the Plumb house in
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during that period. Also in 1941, Klumb designed residential properties in the planned community of
Greenbelt, Maryland Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, and a suburb of Washington, D.C. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 24,921. Greenbelt is the first and the largest of the three experimental ...
, although the war prevented construction.


Career

Having met
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brain trust planner
Rexford Tugwell Rexford Guy Tugwell (July 10, 1891 – July 21, 1979) was an American economist who became part of Franklin D. Roosevelt's first " Brain Trust", a group of Columbia University academics who helped develop policy recommendations leading up to ...
in the late 1930s, he was invited to move to Puerto Rico in 1944 and collaborate in the design of post-war modern Puerto Rico. He left Los Angeles on February 24, 1944, and settled in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where devoted most of the rest of his life designing many buildings there. Shortly after his arrival in Puerto Rico, Klumb worked in the Public Works Design Committee, where he was responsible for the design of multiple government structures in Puerto Rico. He also founded, along with Stephen Arneson, the ARKLU furniture factory, which produced distinctive tropical furniture utilizing native woods, leather and cord. Klumb also incorporated this tropical style of architecture in the design of his own home, Casa Klumb, which he began building in 1947. His most important work on the island was the campus master plan for the
University of Puerto Rico The University of Puerto Rico (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Universidad de Puerto Rico;'' often shortened to UPR) is the main List of state and territorial universities in the United States, public university system in the Commonwealth (U.S. i ...
from 1946 to 1966, as well as the design of many of its buildings. Among these is the Facundo Bueso Building, an esteemed historic edifice situated at the University of Puerto Rico's Río Piedras campus, which houses the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Río Piedras Faculty Residences in 1946, the Río Piedras Agricultural Experimental Station, the UPR Museum of Anthropology, History and Art, the UPR General Library, the UPR Student Center in Río Piedras, the Agricultural Sciences Building in Mayagüez, an expansion of the UPR School of Tropical Medicine building in Puerta de Tierra and the UPR Law School building, among others. His public sector work attracted many private commissions, including private residences, churches and commercial buildings. His private design commissions, include the design of the campus and church of the Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola School, the San Ignacio of Loyola Parish, the La Rada Hotel, and the landmark churches Iglesia del Carmen and San Martin de Porres in Cataño. Later in life, his design work concentrated in work for several emerging pharmaceutical firms, including Eli Lilly, Parke-Davis, Baxter, Roche, Searle and Travenol.


Later years and legacy

In 1968, he established the Klumb Foundation. In 1979, Klumb was elected to the College of Fellows of the
American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...
. On November 20, 1984, he and his wife Else died in an automobile accident in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Throughout his life, Klumb mentored young Puerto Rican architects as well as talented young architects from the US mainland. These include Salvador Soltero, Segundo Cardona FAIA, Beatriz del Cueto FAIA and George McClintock.


Chronology

* 1905: Born on February 24 in
Cologne, Germany Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and over 3.1 million people in the Cologne Bonn urba ...
. * 1918: Decides to become architect. * 1926: Graduates with honors from the School of Architecture (Staatliche Bauschule) in Cologne. * 1928: Applies for job with
Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...
. * 1929: Begins working with Wright in
Taliesin Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early Britons (Celtic people), Brittonic poet of Sub-Roman Britain whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the ''Book of Taliesin''. Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to ...
. From January to May, works at the Ocatilla camp in Arizona. * 1931: On March 1, takes an exhibit of Wright's work to Europe. In August, marries Else Schmidt. In November, returns to the United States. * 1933: Leaves Taliesin and moves to
Brainerd, Minnesota Brainerd ( ) is a city and the county seat of Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 14,395 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from its confluen ...
. Forms partnership with Stephen Arneson. * 1934: Moves to
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
* 1936: His first son, Peter, is born. * 1937: In partnership with
Louis I. Kahn Louis Isadore Kahn (born Itze-Leib Schmuilowsky; – March 17, 1974) was an Estonian-born American architect based in Philadelphia. After working in various capacities for several firms in Philadelphia, he founded his own atelier in 1935. Whil ...
on several projects. Obtains US citizenship. * 1939: In August, moves to California. Begins working with the
Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal lands and natural resources. It also administers programs relatin ...
in the
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States List of United States federal agencies, federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior, Department of the Interior. It is responsible for im ...
. Designs exhibit Indian Arts and Crafts for the Golden Gate Exposition in San Francisco. * 1940: His second son, Richard, is born. * 1941: Exhibit Indian Arts and Crafts opens at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. * 1942: Begins work as architectural planner in
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. * 1944: On February 24, moves to
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
. Begins working with the Public Works Design Committee. With Stephen Arneson, establishes the ARKLU furniture factory. * 1945: Works for the Puerto Rico Housing Authority. Begins private practice; firm known as The Office of Henry Klumb. Takes part in the design competition for the Caribe Hilton. * 1946: Designs faculty residences at the
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
. Designs the New York Department Store in Santurce. * 1948: Designs the San Martín de Porres Sanctuary in Bayview, Cataño. * 1953: Creates master plan for the Río Piedras and Mayagüez campuses of the University of Puerto Rico. * 1957: Begins designs for the Parke, Davis pharmaceutical plant in Carolina. * 1968: Establishes the Klumb Foundation. * 1979: The
American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...
makes him the first Fellow in Puerto Rico. * 1981: The Puerto Rico Architects Association awards him the first Henry Klumb Award. Begins designs for the
Ciba-Geigy Novartis AG is a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical corporation based in Basel, Switzerland. Novartis is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world and was the eighth largest by revenue in 2024. Novartis manufactures the drugs ...
pharmaceutical plant in New Jersey. * 1984: On November 20, dies with his wife Else in a car crash in Hato Rey.


Projects

Henry Klumb's projects included: * University of Puerto Rico / Rio Piedras Campus Master Plan,
San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...
. * University of Puerto Rico / Mayaguez Campus Master Plan,
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico Mayagüez (, ) is the ninth-largest Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in Puerto Rico. It was founded as Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria de Mayagüez (Township of Virgin of Candelaria, Our Lady of Candelaria), and is also ...
. * Colegio San Ignacio / Campus and buildings, San Juan, Puerto Rico.


Buildings

* Centro de Estudiantes, UPR-Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. * Biblioteca José M. Lázaro, UPR-Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. * Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte, UPR-Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. * Centro de la Facultad, UPR-Río Piedras, San Juan Puerto Rico. * Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola, San Juan, Puerto Rico. * UPR Law School Building, UPR-Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. * Servicios Médicos, UPR-Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. * Edificio Vaquería Experimental, UPR-Estacion Experimental Agícola,
Gurabo, Puerto Rico Gurabo () is a Gurabo barrio-pueblo, town and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in eastern Puerto Rico. It is located in the central eastern region, north of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, San Lorenzo; south of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, T ...
. * Casa Fullana, San Juan, Puerto Rico. * Iglesia San Martín de Porres,
Cataño, Puerto Rico Cataño () is a Cataño barrio-pueblo, town and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality on the northeastern coastal plain of Puerto Rico. It is west of the capital San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan, east of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, Toa Baja, nor ...
, listed on the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. * Iglesia San Ignacio, San Juan, Puerto Rico. * Hotel La Rada, San Juan, Puerto Rico. * UPRM General Library, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico * Rafael A. Mangual Coliseum, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico * Casa Klumb,
San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...
, listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. *Francis E. and Clara M. Perkins House, 9411 St. Andrews Way,
Silver Spring, Maryland Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially Unincorporated area, unincorporated, it is an edge city with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 ...
, 1940.


Accolades

In 1981, the Colegio de Arquitectos de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico College of Architects) established the Henry Klumb Award, the College's highest honor (and Puerto Rico's main architecture prize). The list of recipients for the Henry Klumb Award includes architects Jesús Eduardo Amaral, Segundo Cardona, Jorge Rigau, and Andrés Mignucci. The Architecture and Construction Archives at the University of Puerto Rico (AACUPR) holds the Henry Klumb Collection (1926–1984). Approximately in size, the collection contains architectural drawings, photographs, models, artifacts, audiovisual material, and various textual documents. The Architectural Drawing Series holds 578 projects intellectually organized in two sub-groups: work in the United States and in Puerto Rico before 1945 and documents from The Office of Henry Klumb. The University of Puerto Rico acquired the Klumb archives in 1986, following the architect's death in 1984, and then they were transferred to the School of Architecture.


See also

*
List of Puerto Ricans This is a list of notable people from Puerto Rico which includes people who were born in Puerto Rico (Borinquen) and people who are of full or partial Puerto Rican people, Puerto Rican descent. Puerto Rican citizens are included, as the governm ...
- Architects * German immigration to Puerto Rico


Notes


References

*Fernández, José. "Architecture in Puerto Rico" (1966), Architectural Publishing Company. *Mignucci, Andrés. "Arquitectura Contemporanea en Puerto Rico 1976-1992" (1992), American Institute of Architects Capítulo de Puerto Rico. *Vivoni Farage, Enrique, (ed). "KLUMB: An Architecture of Social Concern" (2006), La Editorial Universidad de Puerto Rico, . *Figueroa Jiménez, Jósean; Vivoni González, Edric. "Henry Klumb: Principios para una arquitectura de integración (2007), Colegio de Arquitectos de Puerto Rico, . *Vázquez-Pérez, José Fernando. "Henry Klumb: Tropical Tropes" (2006), Modernism Magazine, ISSN 1098-8211.


See also

* Architecture of Puerto Rico *
Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...


External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20080401130200/http://www.universia.pr/klumb/index_ingles.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20050213141040/http://www.universia.pr/klumb/i_crono.html The Henry Klumb Collection electronic finding aid may be consulted through http://hip.upr.edu:85/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=aac--1#focus {{DEFAULTSORT:Klumb, Henry (Heinrich) Architects from Cologne German emigrants to Puerto Rico Puerto Rican architects Fellows of the American Institute of Architects 1905 births 1984 deaths 20th-century American architects