Karl Martin Norum (1852—1911) was a Norwegian architect, best known for his many church buildings, as well as contributions to the reconstruction after the fire in the city of Ålesund in 1904. Norum is well known for his

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

and

Dragestil Dragestil () is a style of design and architecture that originated in Norway and was widely used principally between 1880 and 1910. It is a variant of the more embracing National Romantic style and an expression of Romantic nationalism. History Th ...

designs. Norum was born in 1852 in

Levanger Levanger may refer to: Places * Levanger Municipality, a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway * Levanger (town), a town within Levanger Municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway * Levanger landsogn, a former municipality (1856–1962) in Trø ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

. He was educated at the Trondheim Technical College from 1872 to 1875. From 1875 to 1880, he worked for the Rørosbanen railway line as a surveyor during the construction of the railway line. In 1880, he was hired as a draftsman for the architectural firm of Jakob Digre 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 ...

. In 1884, he was hired as an assistant in the engineering office for the city of

. In 1886, he was hired as the chief architect and designer for the architectural firm of Jakob Digre, where he worked earlier in his career. The firm had several architects and Norum worked here for 25 years. During this time, Norum was known for the

dragestil Dragestil () is a style of design and architecture that originated in Norway and was widely used principally between 1880 and 1910. It is a variant of the more embracing National Romantic style and an expression of Romantic nationalism. History Th ...

style of many of the church buildings he designed such as

Stangvik Church Stangvik Church () is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Surnadal Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the village of Stangvik on the shores of the Stangvikfjorden. It is the church for the Stangvik parish wh ...

(1896),

Frei Church Frei Church () is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Kristiansund Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the village of Nedre Frei on the southern shore of the island of Frei. It is the church for the Frei pa ...

(1897),

Sortland Church Sortland Church () is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Sortland Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located in the town of Sortland. It is one of the three churches for the Sortland parish which is part of the Vesterålen pr ...

(1901), Steinkjer Church (1902), Neiden Church (1902),

Levanger Church Levanger Church () is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Levanger Municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The church is located in the town of Levanger, along the road Kirkegata. It is the main church for the Levanger parish which is ...

(1902),

Namsos Church Namsos Church () is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Namsos Municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is located in the centre of the town of Namsos, just north of the mouth of the river Namsen. It is the church for the Namsos pa ...

(1903),

Buksnes Church Buksnes Church () is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Vestvågøy Municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is located in the village of Gravdal on the island of Vestvågøya. It is the church for the Buksnes parish which is part of t ...

(1905),

Veøy Church Veøy Church () is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Molde Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the village of Sølsnes. It is the main church for the ''Røvik og Veøy'' parish which is part of the Molde dom ...

(1907),

Holm Church Holm Church () is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Rauma Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is located in the village of Holm, about halfway between the villages of Åfarnes and Mittet. It is one of the churches for th ...

(1907). He was also involved in the renovation of the

Hammerfest Church Hammerfest Church () is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Hammerfest Municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. It is located in the town of Hammerfest. It is the church for the Hammerfest parish which is the seat of the Hammerfest prosti ...

in 1892. In Trondheim, Norum was also the designer of a number of public and industrial buildings such as the Britannia Hotel (1895), Mathesongården (1898), Hjorten Revue and Variety Theater restaurant (1899), the Bødtker family's villa Kvernbekken (1902), the local

Masonic Lodge A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...

, Trondheim hospital on Øya (1902), the main post office (1911), and Tollboden (1911). Most were in designed in an

and built out of stone. While working in Ålesund (1904–1907) to rebuild after a city-wide fire, he was the architect of almost ten buildings, perhaps the most famous being the wide apartment building (located at Kongens gt. 10B) which is the country's narrowest apartment building. He also designed the commercial building "Carl E. Rønneberg & Sønner" on Noteneset.

Media gallery

Schmalstes Haus in Ålesund.jpg, Narrow building in the town of

Ålesund Ålesund () is a List of towns and cities in Norway, town in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The town is the administrative centre of Ålesund Municipality. The centre of the town of Ålesund lies on the islands of Hessa, Aspøya, Ålesund, Asp� ...

Nordre gate 9 Trondheim.jpg, Nordre gate 9 in the city of

Britannia Trondheim.jpg, Britannia Hotel in Trondheim Gravdal-Buksnes-Stabkirche-08-2019-gje.jpg,

Vestvågøy Municipality Vestvågøy is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Nordland Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional district of Lofoten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the List of t ...

Frei Kirke 3.jpg,

Kristiansund Municipality Kristiansund (, ; historically spelled Christianssund and earlier named Fosna) is a municipality on the western coast of Norway in the Nordmøre district of Møre og Romsdal county. The administrative center of the municipality is the town of K ...

Frimurerlosjen Trondheim II.jpg, Trondheim

Hjorten Revy- og Varietéteater - Ilevolden 15 (8464054331).jpg, Hjorten Revue and Variety theatre Holm-kirke-Rauma-2.jpg,

Rauma Municipality Rauma is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Møre og Romsdal Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional district of Romsdal. The administrative centre is the town of Åndalsnes. Other s ...

Hovedpostkontoret, Sør-Trøndelag - Riksantikvaren-T324 01 0832.jpg, Main post office in Trondheim Building at Olav Tryggvasons gate 14, Trondheim 20150605 1.jpg, Mathesongården building in Trondheim Neiden kirke i Sør-Varanger NV.JPG, Neiden Church in

Sør-Varanger Municipality Sør-Varanger (; ; ) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Finnmark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kirkenes. Other settlements in the municipality include the vill ...

Sortland kyrkje cropped.jpg,

Sortland Municipality or is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Nordland Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is part of the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Vesterålen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Sortland (town ...

Stangvik kyrkje3.jpg,

Surnadal Municipality is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Skei. Other villages in Surnadal include Bøverfjorden, Glærem, Moen, Stangvik, Surnadalsøra, Sylte, T ...

Tollboden i Trondheim.jpg, Tollboden building in Trondheim Veoy-church-Molde-Norway.jpg,

Molde Municipality Molde Municipality () is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Møre og Romsdal Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is located in the Traditional districts of Norway, traditional district of Romsdal. It is located on the Romsdal ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Norum, Karl Martin 1852 births 1911 deaths Norwegian ecclesiastical architects Architects from Trondheim