The Italian Renaissance style was a defining aesthetic for Vilhelm Klein, an architect whose career spanned the transformative decades of late nineteenth-century Denmark. Born in Copenhagen in 1835, he established himself through a prolific output of public and private structures that defined the capital city's changing urban landscape until his death in Frederiksberg in 1913.
Early Training and Influences
Before mastering architectural design, Klein initially trained as a stonemason. He later pursued formal studies at the Kunstakademiets Arkitektskole, where his academic performance earned him the grand silver medal in 1856. During his formative years, from 1851 to 1856, he served as a draftsman for Michael Gottlieb Bindesbøll, whom he consistently cited as his most significant instructor. Following his schooling, he expanded his professional experience by working as an architectural designer for Ferdinand Meldahl between 1857 and 1862, gaining further insight into the prevailing stylistic trends of the era.
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Klein’s portfolio was diverse, ranging from social housing to complex industrial structures. Between 1866 and 1872, he executed significant extensions to the Lægeforeningens boliger social housing development in the Østerbro District of Copenhagen. Among his most notable works were the Industriforeningen Building, erected in 1872 for the Nordic Exhibition, and the main building at the Ny Carlsberg Brewhouse, completed in 1901. He also designed the Danish Museum of Art & Design on Rådhuspladsen in 1893. His reach extended to specialized facilities, such as the De Kellerske Anstalter institutions for the mentally disabled in Brejning, constructed between 1898 and 1901.
Recognition and Professional Standing
The Danish state acknowledged his contributions to the built environment through several distinctions. In 1872, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog, followed by the Decoration of the Cross of Honour of the Dannebrog in 1898. Beyond his practice as an architect, he served as a university teacher. His impact on Danish architecture remains formally recognized today through his inclusion in the Danish Culture Canon, particularly for his work on the Brumleby social housing project alongside Michael Gottlieb Bindesbøll.
Fast facts
- Born: 1835, Copenhagen
- Died: 1913, Frederiksberg
- Education: Kunstakademiets Arkitektskole
- Key Award: Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog (1872)
- Key Award: Decoration of the Cross of Honour of the Dannebrog (1898)
- Buried at: Assistens Cemetery
- Nationality: Kingdom of Denmark
Questions readers ask
What stylistic movements did Vilhelm Klein follow?
He frequently adopted the Italian Renaissance style in his major works, such as the Industriforeningen Building and the Ny Carlsberg Brewhouse.
Where is he buried?
He is buried at the Assistens Cemetery.
Achievements
- Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog
- Decoration of the Cross of Honour of the Dannebrog
- Trained at Kunstakademiets Arkitektskole
