Sverre Fehn

Sverre Fehn (14 August 1924 – 23 February 2009) was a Norwegian architect.

Life Fehn was born at Kongsberg in Buskerud, Norway. He was the son of John Tryggve Fehn (1894–1981) and Sigrid Johnsen (1895–1985). He received his architectural education at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design in Oslo. He entered his course of study in 1946 and graduated during 1949. Among other instructors, he studied under Arne Korsmo (1900–1968).

In 1949, Fehn and architect Geir Grung (1926–1989) won the competition for the Museum Building for the Sandvig Collections at Maihaugen in Lillehammer Municipality. In 1950, Fehn joined PAGON (Progressive Architects Group Oslo, Norway). The group, which was led by Arne Korsmo, had the goal of implementing and promoting modern architecture.

At the age of 34, Fehn gained international recognition for his design of the Norwegian Pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World Exhibition.

He was a professor at Oslo's School of Architecture from 1971 to 1995 and principal from 1986–1989. He additionally lectured throughout Europe including at Paris, Stuttgart and Barcelona. He also lectured in the United States at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Cooper Union in New York City and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston.

Projects Fehn designed over 100 buildings. Some of the most notable are: 1958 – Norwegian Pavilion at the Brussels World's Fair, Belgium 1962 – Nordic Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, Italy 1963 – Villa Schreiner, Oslo 1963-64 – Villa Norrköping, Sweden 1967 – Casa Bødtker House, Oslo 1967-79 – Hamarhus at Hedmark Museum in Hamar Municipality, Norway 1990 – Villa Busk, Bamble Municipality 1991-2002 – Norwegian Glacier Museum, Fjærland 1993-96 – Aukrust Centre in Alvdal Municipality 2000 – Ivar Aasen-tunet in Ørsta Municipality 2007 – Gyldendal House, Oslo 2003-08 – National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, Oslo

Awards In 1961, he was awarded the Houen Foundation Award, jointly with Geir Grung, for the design of the Økern Nursing Home in Oslo. He received the Houen Foundation Award for his design of the Hedmark Museum at Hamar in 1975. In 1994 he was appointed Commander in the Order of St. Olav.

His highest international honour came in 1997, when he was awarded both the Pritzker Architecture Prize and the Heinrich Tessenow Gold Medal (Heinrich-Tessenow-Medaille).

Personal life In 1952, he married Ingrid Løvberg Pettersen (1929–2005). Fehn died in his Oslo home at the age of 84. He was survived by his son Guy Fehn and four grandchildren.