Ulrik Adolph Plesner, usually known as Ulrik Plesner (17 May 1861 in Vedersø – 22 November 1933 in Skagen) was an innovative Danish architect who designed in a

National Romantic style The National Romantic style was a Nordic architectural style that was part of the National Romantic movement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is often considered to be a form of Art Nouveau. The National Romantic style spread ...

at the beginning of the 20th century. He is remembered in particular for his influence on the style of architecture practiced in

Skagen Skagen () is the northernmost town in Denmark, on the east coast of the Skagen Odde peninsula in the far north of Jutland, part of Frederikshavn Municipality in North Denmark Region, Nordjylland, north of Frederikshavn and northeast of Aalbo ...

in the north of

Jutland Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...

."Ulrik Plesner, f. 1861"
''Dansk Biografisk Leksikon''. Retrieved 12 October 2013.

Early life

Born in Vedersø near

Ringkøbing Ringkøbing (older spelling ''Ringkjøbing'') is a town in Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality in Central Denmark Region, Region Midtjylland on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in west Denmark. It has a population of 9,830 (1 January 2025).

on the west coast of Jutland, he was the son of parish priest J.F. Plesner. After attending the Copenhagen Technical School (''Teknisk Selskabs Skole''), he entered the school of architecture at the Royal Danish Academy where he studied under

Martin Nyrop Martin Nyrop (11 November 1849 18 May 1921) was a Danish architect. Early life and education Nyrop was born on 11 November 1849 at Holmsland Municipality, Holmsland, Ringkøbing, the son of parish priest Christopher Nyrop (1805–1879) and Helen ...

, graduating in 1893. He developed a simple style typified by compact structures of red brick with white

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative Moulding (decorative), moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, ar ...

s and trimmings.

Career

Plesner was first noted for an extension to

Brøndums Hotel Brøndums Hotel, in the little harbor town of Skagen in the north of Denmark, is remembered for its close associations with the late 19th-century artists colony known as the Skagen Painters. It still operates as a hotel today. History The hotel ...

in Skagen which he completed in 1892. Much of his subsequent work was in Skagen where he lived for extended periods and became closely associated with the colony of artists known as the

Skagen Painters The Skagen Painters () were a group of Scandinavian artists who gathered in the village of Skagen, the northernmost part of Denmark, from the late 1870s until the turn of the century. Skagen was a summer destination whose scenic nature, local mi ...

. Highly respected by his colleagues, he contributed to the development of the main style of the period,

Historicism Historicism is an approach to explaining the existence of phenomena, especially social and cultural practices (including ideas and beliefs), by studying the process or history by which they came about. The term is widely used in philosophy, ant ...

. He also associated with

Thorvald Bindesbøll Thorvald Bindesbøll (21 July 1846 – 27 August 1908) was a Denmark, Danish National romantic architect, sculptor and ornamental artist. He designed the Dragon Fountain, Copenhagen (''Dragespringvandet'') and is perhaps best known as the cre ...

who collaborated with him, often designing interiors in the

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 ...

style.

Contribution to Skagen architecture

Plesner first arrived in Skagen in 1891 in connection with the establishment of Højen Lighthouse. The same year he designed the first extension of Brøndums Hotel. The same year, he renovated the house belonging to P.S. Krøyer and in 1913 designed a house for

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

and

Anna Ancher Anna Ancher (18 August 1859 – 15 April 1935) was a Danish artist associated with the Skagen Painters, an artist colony on the northern point of Jylland, Denmark. She is considered to be one of Denmark's greatest visual artists. Background An ...

. In 1919, he drew up early designs for

Skagens Museum Skagens Museum is an art museum in Skagen, Denmark, that exhibits an extensive collection of works by members of the colony of Skagen Painters who lived and worked in the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Important artists include M ...

and went on to design the town's

railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...

, hospital, bank, harbor-master's residence, post office and numerous private houses. Plesner died of a heart attack in 1933 while staying in Brøndums Hotel. The last building he designed before his death was

Ålbæk railway station Ålbæk railway station (alternative spelling: ''Aalbæk railway station'') is a railway station serving the small coastal town of Ålbæk in Vendsyssel, Denmark. The station is located on the Skagensbanen railway line from Skagen to Frederikshav ...

on the railway from Skagen to Frederikshavn."Skagensbanen: Stationerne"
Nordjyllands jernbaner. Retrieved 15 October 2013.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Plesner, Ulrik 1861 births 1933 deaths Danish architects People from Skagen Art Nouveau architects Recipients of the C.F. Hansen Medal

Early life

Career

Contribution to Skagen architecture

See also

References