Odd Brochmann (21 December 1909 – 27 October 1992) was a Norwegian architect, professor and children's writer.

Background

Brochmann was born in

Kristiania Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022, an ...

(now Oslo), Norway. He was a son of Diderik Hegermann Brochmann (1879–1955) and Margit Hagen (1896–1962). He was a brother of the poet and playwright

Zinken Hopp Signe Marie "Zinken" Hopp, née Brochmann (9 January 1905 – 3 September 1987) was a Norway, Norwegian writer, poet, playwright. She wrote in several genres: cultural-historical books, poems and travel stories. She translated children's books ...

and a nephew of the journalist and playwright

Georg Brochmann Georg Brochmann (15 May 1894, Ullensvang – 5 January 1952) born in Hardanger, was a Norwegian journalist, writer of popular science and playwright, . He was the most productive writer of popular science in Norway in the interwar period.In 19 ...

. He graduated from the

Norwegian Institute of Technology The Norwegian Institute of Technology ( Norwegian: ''Norges tekniske høgskole'', NTH) was a science institute in Trondheim, Norway. It was established in 1910, and existed as an independent technical university for 58 years, after which it was ...

in 1934.

Career

Brochmann established his own practice in Oslo in 1937, along with his first wife, Karen Berner. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he was involved in building projects at

Ljan Ljan () is a residential neighborhood in the borough Nordstrand in Oslo, Norway. It is located in the eastern rolling hillsides of the fjord Bunnefjorden. To the south Ljanselva which begins at Lutvann has its mouth, and where it runs through ...

and

Tveita Tveita is a neighborhood in the borough of Alna in Oslo, Norway. The area was built up between 1963 and 1967. It is served by the station Tveita on the Oslo Metro The Oslo Metro ( or or simply ) is the rapid transit system of Oslo, Norway, o ...

Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...

, and the designing of social institutions nationwide. From 1949 to 1956, he was appointed professor at the Norwegian Institute of Technology 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 ...

. From 1952, he worked with the architect Dag Rognlien (1921-1999). Brochmann also wrote literature on the relationship between architecture and society. He made a considerable effort by processing and releasing the collected material of housing surveys in Oslo in the years 1948-1961. He discontinued his architectural practice in 1963 and settled 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 ...

, where he worked as a writer (including for ''Politiken'' 1964-1966). He also wrote travelogues, worked as a draftsman and as a teacher at the

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 ...

. He was also widely used as an illustrator. Among his children's books are ''Mariannes brev'' from 1946 and ''Marianne på sykehus'' from 1948. He also illustrated children's books written by Heljar Mjøen (1903–2000) and Einar Schibbye (1900-1959).

Personal life

Brochmann was married twice. In 1935, he married fellow architect Karen Berner (1908-1988). The marriage was dissolved in 1963. In 1963, he married the architect and research librarian Ida Caline Naur (1923-2000). He became honorary doctor at

Chalmers University of Technology Chalmers University of Technology (, commonly referred to as Chalmers) is a private university, private research university located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Chalmers focuses on engineering and science, but more broadly it also conducts research ...

in 1981 and an honorary member of the Norwegian Architects National Association (NAL) from 1981. He was also decorated as a Knight of the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Just be ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brochmann, Odd 1909 births 1992 deaths Architects from Oslo Norwegian Institute of Technology alumni Academic staff of the Norwegian Institute of Technology Norwegian children's writers Norwegian emigrants to Denmark 20th-century Norwegian writers 20th-century Norwegian architects Writers from Oslo