Karl Lindahl (architect)

Karl Håkan Einar Lindahl (10 March 1874 – 12 April 1930) was a Finnish architect of Swedish origin.

Karl Lindahl in 1899.

Life and career

Born in Jönköping, Lindahl studied architecture at the Helsinki Polytechnic Institute, graduating in 1898.[1] Beginning in 1900, he practised as an architect in Helsinki. Initially he was an early proponent of the National Romantic or Art nouveau style, for many years in partnership with Walter Thomé.[2] Then, like many of his contemporaries, he changed to a neo-classical style.[3] His work includes several public buildings, residences in Helsinki and some country houses in Suvisaaristo, but also many industrial buildings.[3]

In 1907, Lindahl was sent with veterinarian Oskar von Hellens on a fact-finding tour of foreign abattoirs to enable incorporation of best practices in the new Helsinki slaughterhouse.[4]

He died in Helsinki.

Selected works

Headquarters of Otava publishing company, Helsinki, designed by Karl Lindahl and Walter Thomé in 1905

• (with Walter Thomé) Oulu Market Hall (1901)
• (with Walter Thomé) Polytechnic Students' Union, also called the Sampo Building, Lönnrotinkatu 29, Helsinki (1903)
• (with Walter Thomé) Enso Gutzeit factory headquarters, Kotka (1903)[3]
• (with Walter Thomé) Headquarters of Otava publishing company, Uudenmaankatu 10, Helsinki (1905)[1][3][5][6]
• Söderkulla mansion, Söderkulla, now part of Sipoo (1908)[7]
• Helsinki Workers' House, Paasivuorenkatu 5 A (1908, 1924)[3]
• Gunnarsberg villa, Grankulla (1910)[3]
• Finnish business centre in Viipuri (1911)[1]
• (with Walter Thomé) Headquarters of Suomi insurance company, Eteläesplanadi 2, Helsinki (1912), now headquarters of UPM[1][3]
• School, Liedakkala (1915)[8]
• Hahkiala estate at Hauho (1916)[1]
• Sugar refinery, Salo (1919)[1]
• Finlayson factory power plant, Forssa (1921)[3]
• Lindö estate at Ekenäs (1923)[1]
• Industrial and town buildings including a school, Varkaus (1924)[9]
• Ahlström pulp mill, Karhula, now part of Kotka (1927)[3][10]
• Korkeakoski power plant (1927)[3]

Buildings designed by Karl Lindahl

Market hall in Oulu, 1901

Vanha Poli, Polytechnic Students' Union building in Helsinki, 1903

Söderkulla mansion in Sipoo, 1908

Helsinki Workers' House, 1908, rebuilt 1924

Headquarters of UPM in Helsinki, built 1912 for Suomi insurance company

References

1. T. Stz., "Lindahl, Karl Håkan Einar", Nordisk familjebok, Owl Edition, volume 37 Supplement: L – Riksdag, col. 197 (in Swedish)
2. Chevallier, Fabienne: L'œuvre d'Eliel Saarinen en Finlande et la question de l'architecture nationale de 1898 à 1909, Histoire de l'art 12, Paris: Sorbonne, 2001. ISBN 2-85944-423-8. p. 165 (in French)
3. Eriksson, Patrick: "Lindahl, Karl" in Uppslagsverket Finland. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
4. Hietala, Marjatta: "Hygiene and the Control of Food in Finnish Towns at the Turn of the Century: A Case Study from Helsinki", in The Origins and Development of Food Policies in Europe, pp. 113–129. Ed. John Burnett and Derek J. Oddy, London/New York: Leicester University, 1994. ISBN 0-7185-1474-2. p. 126.
5. Valter Thomé, "Förlagsaktiebolagets Otavas hus i Helsingfors", Arkitekten Volume 6, issue 6, September 1908, pp. 79–80 (in Swedish)
6. Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen, Vantaa: An Architectural Guide, ed. Arvi Ilonen, Suomen Rakennustaiteen Museo, tr. Laura Siilasvuo, Helsinki: Otava, 1990, ISBN 9789511107620, p. 57.
7. historiaa Archived 2012-04-26 at the Wayback Machine, Söderkullan kartano (in Finnish)
8. Liedakkalan koulu, peda.net (in Finnish)
9. Itkonen, Hannu: Varkaus and Its People: A Hundred Years, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seuran toimituksia 1057, Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, 2005. ISBN 951-746-789-3, pp. 61, 56, 139.
10. Quantrill, Malcolm: Finnish Architecture and the Modernist Tradition, London/New York: E & FN Spon, 1995, ISBN 0-419-19520-3, p. 183.

Further reading

• Moorhouse, Jonathan & Carapetian, Michael & Ahtola-Moorhouse, Leena: Helsinki Jugendstil architecture, 1895–1915. Helsinki: Otava, 1987. ISBN 951-1-08382-1