Adolf Schirmer

Who was Adolf Schirmer?

Adolf Schirmer was a Norwegian architect.

Adolf Schirmer was born in Bærum, the son of architect Heinrich Ernst Schirmer and Sophie Ottilia Major. He was married on 6 November 1878 to Hildur Koch. His initial training was with his father's practice and at Den kongelige Tegne- og Kunstskole i Christiania, now the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry under sculptor, Julius Middelthun. He stayed a short period in Germany in 1870, before being employed by Georg Andreas Bull in Christiania from 1871 to 1872. He then took lessons at the Bauakademie in Berlin and École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, graduating in 1874.

Schirmer ran his own company in Christiania until 1886. In 1887, he was appointed the state's building inspector with responsibility for the state-owned properties. He has designed several public buildings, however for most major projects he was responsible for regulation and planning. Among Schirmer's most known work is the New Renaissance central section of the National Gallery, which was started by his father, but taken over by Adolf after his father had a disagreement with the owner. Other prominent works include Trondhjems Sparebank, today the head office of Sparebanken Midt-Norge, Privatbanken i Trondhjem, parts of Ullevål University Hospital and the Customs House in Oslo. One of his first know works was a stabbur built at Frognerseteren outside Oslo, and an early example of national romanticism.