Axel Berg (architect)

{{Short description|Danish architect}} {{Other uses|Axel Berg (disambiguation){{!}}Axel Berg}} {{Infobox architect | honorific_prefix = | name = | honorific_suffix = | image = Axel Emil Berg.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Emil Axel Berg | birth_date = {{Birth date|1856|08|05}} | birth_place = [[Copenhagen]], Denmark | death_date = {{Death date and age|1929|12|10|1856|08|05}} | death_place = [[Copenhagen]], Denmark | death_cause = | resting_place = | nationality =  | other_names = | occupation = | years_active = 1873 — 1926 | alma_mater = Technical University of Denmark, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = Vilhelm Julius Berg, Caroline Frederikke Albine Bruun | relatives = | awards = {{small|C. F. Hansen Medal in 1893}}<br>{{small|Neuhausen Prize in 1885}}<br>{{small|Eckersberg Medal in 1910}} | practice =  | significant_buildings = | significant_projects = | significant_design = }} '''Emil Axel Berg''' (5 August 1856 – 10 December 1929) was a [[Danish people|Danish]] [[architect]]. He received the Neuhausen Prize, [[C. F. Hansen Medal]], and [[Eckersberg Medal]], and was honored as a Knight of [[Order of the Dannebrog]].

==Early years== Born in [[Copenhagen]], Berg was the son of weight manufacturer, and captain in the [[Copenhagen Fire Brigade]], Vilhelm Julius Berg and Caroline Frederikke Albine Bruun. He studied carpentry when he was 16 but a year later, in 1873, he began studying architecture. He graduated at the [[Technical University of Denmark]] in 1877 and at the [[Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts|Royal Danish Academy]] in December 1880.<ref name=Weilbach>[https://www.kulturarv.dk/kid/VisWeilbach.do?kunstnerId=8427&wsektion=alle Rikke Tønnes, "Axel Berg"], ''Kunstindekx Danmark & Weilbachs kunstnerleksikon''. {{in lang|da}} Retrieved 13 December 2012.</ref>

==Career== Berg, who practiced a [[Historicist]] approach, had a good sense of which style to use for each of his projects. His first project was the almost complete renovation of [[Bregentved]] in the [[Rococo]] style (1891), for which he was awarded the C. F. Hansen Medal in 1893. His renovation of [[Vemmetofte Convent]] (1909) was [[Baroque architecture|Early Baroque]].<ref>[http://www.denstoredanske.dk/Kunst_og_kultur/Arkitektur/Danmark/Axel_Berg "Axel Berg"], ''Den Store Danske''. Retrieved 13 December 2012.</ref> He was awarded the Neuhausen Prize in 1885 and in 1910, the Eckersberg Medal. In addition to country houses, he designed a number of banks and office buildings, including Privatbanken's headquarters in various styles (1911). Berg was chairman of the [[Architects' Association of Denmark]] in 1902-04 and again in 1907–09, becoming an honorary member in 1924. He was a member of the Competition Committee for [[Christiansborg Palace]] in 1904, a consultant to the [[Danish Ministry of Culture]] in matters relating to church heating 1894–1923, and was a member of the Royal Academy's plenary session in 1911.<ref name=Weilbach/>

Berg was behind the establishment of the Architects Association Support Fund, to which he devoted much time and effort, also supporting it financially. He participated in exhibitions at [[Charlottenborg Palace]] in 1885, 1905 and 1910; a commemorative exhibition was held in 1930. Berg also participated in the [[Nordic Exhibition of 1888]], and the Copenhagen City Hall Exhibition in 1901. He exhibited in [[Berlin]] in 1910 and 1911.<ref name=Weilbach/>

He was of the last generation of [[Historicism|historicist]] architects who freely imitated or worked various historical styles. But he was not a supporter of a single style as some of his contemporaries were, However, he used the [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] and [[Rococo]] styles as starting points. Berg never married and is buried in the [[Vestre Cemetery]].<ref name=Weilbach/>

==Works== * Epitaph in [[St. Olaf's Church, Helsingør|Helsingør Cathedral]] (Neuhausen Prize 1885) * New manor house and farm building in [[Bregentved]] (1887–1891, C. F. Hansen Medal 1893) * Rebuilding of [[Marienborg Manor]] on [[Møn]] (1893)<ref name="Roussell1964">{{cite book|last=Roussell|first=Aage|title=Danske slotte og herregårde: Sydsjælland|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PkgjAQAAMAAJ|accessdate=13 December 2012|year=1964|publisher=Hassings Forlag|language=Danish|page=389}}</ref> * New steeple at [[Rosenholm Castle]] (1893–1896) * Restoration of [[Dronninggård|Næsseslottet]] in [[Lyngby]] including construction of pavilions (1896, 1906) * Private residence, Uraniavej, [[Frederiksberg]] (1897) * Nielsen & Winther's Engine Works, Blegdamsvej 60, Copenhagen (1897–1899) * Privatebanken, now C. F. Tietgen's House, Børsgade 4-8 (1901–1904) * Københavns Laane and Diskontobank, Amagertorv 24 (1904–1906) * [[Knippelsbro]] superstructure (1906–1908) * Rebuilding and modernization of [[Vemmetofte Convent]] (1907–1909) * The villa Wessels Minde, Gentoftegade 9, Gentofte (1910, awarded by the Municipality of Gentofte) * Dansk Arbejdsgiverforening (Danish Employers' Confederation), Vestervoldgade / Ny Kongensgade, Copenhagen (1910–1911) * The Gunløg apartment block, Snorresgade / Bergthorasgade / Isafjordsgade, [[Islands Brygge]], Copenhagen (1912) * [[Domkirkepladsen 1|Branch of Danmarks Nationalbank, Aarhus]] (1926) * Tomb for the builder Jørgen Jensen, Solbjerg Park Cemetery (1899, carved by Hans & Jørgen Larsen, decoration by Frederik Hammeleff) * Tomb for Inspector Jørgen Leemeier at [[Holmens Cemetery]] (1899)

<gallery class="center"> File:Bregentved from bridge.jpg|Bregentved File:Rosenholm Slot Herskabsstalden.jpg|Stables at Rosenholm File:C F Tietgens Hus København.jpg|Former Privatbanken headquarters </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berg, Axel}} [[Category:1856 births]] [[Category:1929 deaths]] [[Category:Architects from Copenhagen]] [[Category:Knights of the Order of the Dannebrog]] [[Category:Technical University of Denmark alumni]] [[Category:Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts alumni]] [[Category:Recipients of the Eckersberg Medal]] [[Category:Recipients of the C.F. Hansen Medal]]