Carl Brummer


Carl Harald Brummer was a Danish architect who was influential in the design of homes at the beginning of the 20th century.

Early life and education

Brummer was born in Bogense as the son of Hans Frederik Brummer and Ida Amalie Christensen. His father leased the Oregaard estate. He was the nephew of railway pioneer Nicolai Abraham Brummer and author Therese Brummer and the cousin of railway engineer Valdemar Brummer.
Carl Brummer was initially trained as a carpenter. Heattended the Danish Academy from 1888 to 1896.

Career

Brummer started his career by workeing for Ferdinand Meldahl and Hermann Baagøe Storck. He initially became known for Ellestuen, a freely designed country home which was quite different from conventional houses in Denmark. He soon became one of the leading Danish architects for designing private homes between the beginning of the 20th century and the First World War including Svanemøllevej 56 and Lundevangsvej 12, both in Copenhagen. He also drew on architecture from the late 18th century, for example in designing Heymans Villa in 1907 before adopting the Neoclassical style and experimenting with other approaches including simplified Functional designs which can be seen in Gurre Church and his own home. In 1911, he won the Eckersberg Medal for being the architect behind Birkeborg, a country house on the Øresund coast north of Copenhagen. He died, aged 88, in Skovshoved.

Personal life

Brummer was married to the painter Benedicte Brummer. They were wed on 8 April 1910 in the Immanuel Church in Copenhagen. His wife was a daughter of painter and sculptor Henrik Olrik and Hermina Valentiner and the younger sister of weaver Dagmar Olrik, historian Hans Olrik and folklorist Axel Olrik. Her mother's maternal grandfather was the landowner Heinrich Valentiner and the mathematician Herman Valentiner was her cousin.
Brummer was created a knight in the Order of the Dannebrog in 1927. He was awarded the Cross of Honour in 1933. He published his memoirs as Mennesker, Huse – og Hunde.

Selected projects