The five-storey concrete and brick business premises at Fjordgaten 25 in Trondheim remains a testament to the early arrival of functionalism in Norway. Designed by Maja Melandsø in 1931, the structure introduced modernist ideals to the city by utilizing horizontal window rows and expansive glass panes to express the internal utility of the space.
Early Education and Artistic Ambition
Born in 1906, Melandsø was the eleventh of twelve siblings born to merchant Johan Melandsø and his wife. While she initially sought a career in the arts, studying under Per Krohg in Paris between 1926 and 1927, familial pressure to secure a stable profession steered her toward architecture. She enrolled at the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1927, entering as the only woman in her class. Her time there was defined by a shift away from traditional Beaux-Arts ideals toward a more societally relevant approach, eventually culminating in a student strike to demand curriculum reform.
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During her university studies, Melandsø participated in a pivotal excursion to Berlin to attend the Deutsche Bauausstellung in 1931. The exhibition showcased the works of modernist pioneers including Walter Gropius and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, profoundly influencing her design philosophy. It was also in Berlin that she met her future husband, Eugen Kaul, while developing her graduate thesis on residential planning under the guidance of professor Sverre Pedersen.
Professional Practice and Architectural Legacy
After graduating in 1931, Melandsø returned to Trondheim to rebuild her father’s business premises following a fire. This commission resulted in the Melandsøgården, a project that solidified her status as a proponent of functionalist architecture. Later, she moved to Oslo to work with architect O. Eindride Slaatto before relocating to Berlin in 1933. Throughout her career, she prioritized spatial efficiency, rejecting the notion of a facade in favor of a three-dimensional design approach where the interior function dictated the exterior form. She died in Trondheim in 1981.
Fast facts
- Born: 1906, Trondheim, Norway
- Died: 1981, Trondheim, Norway
- Profession: Architect
- Education: Norwegian Institute of Technology, 1931
- Notable Work: Melandsøgården, Trondheim
- Buried: Tilfredshet kirkegård
Questions readers ask
What characterized Melandsø's approach to architecture?
She focused on interior efficiency and functionality, believing that space should be neither too large nor too small, and insisted that all three dimensions of a structure were equally significant.
What was her contribution to functionalism in Norway?
She is recognized as the architect who introduced functionalist architecture to Trondheim, specifically through her work on the Melandsøgården building completed in 1932.
