Léonie Geisendorf

{{Infobox architect

| name = Léonie Geisendorf

| image = L Geisendorf 1966.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Geisendorf, c. 1965

| birth_name = Leonia Maria Kolin-Kaplan

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1914|4|8}}

| birth_place = Łódź, Poland

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2016|3|17|1914|4|08}}

| death_place = Paris, France

| nationality =

| alma_mater = Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich

| practice =

| significant_buildings =

| significant_projects =

| significant_design = Villa Delin (1970)
St. Görans Gymnasium (1961)

| awards = Prince Eugen Medal

}}

Léonie Geisendorf, born Leonia Maria Kolin-Kaplan{{Cite web |title=Leonia Maria (Léonie) Geisendorf |url=https://skbl.se/en/article/LeoniaMariaLeonieGeisendorf |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=Svenskt kvinnobiografiskt lexikon |language=en}} (8 April 1914 – 17 March 2016), was a Polish-born, Swedish architect.{{cite web |url=http://kulturnav.org/d64d7970-3311-4df1-8a6d-aa085e50fa5c |title=KulturNav, Geisendorf, Léonie (1914 - ) |author= |date=2014-02-10 |website=KulturNav.org |publisher=The Swedish Centre for Architecture and Design |accessdate=2014-04-05}} She lived most of her professional life in Stockholm, Sweden. At the time of her death, she was living in Paris, France.

{{cite web|url= https://mattersoftaste.wordpress.com/2017/03/13/leonie-geisendorf/|title= Léonie Geisendorf (1914-2016)

|date= 13 March 2017

|publisher= Matters of Taste |accessdate=April 1, 2019}}

{{cite web|url= https://www.arkitekt.se/leonie-geisendorf-har-avlidit/|title= Léonie Geisendorf har avlidit|publisher= Sveriges Arkitekter|author= Charlie Gullström|accessdate= April 1, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160404025036/https://www.arkitekt.se/leonie-geisendorf-har-avlidit/|archive-date= 2016-04-04|url-status= dead}} Notable works include St. Görans Gymnasium in Stockholm.

Education and career

Born in Łódź, Poland, she studied architecture at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich followed by an internship with Le Corbusier, who became a source of inspiration and a mentor. In 1938, after her internship, Geisendorf moved to Sweden and was hired by architects Sven Ivar Lind (1902-1980) and Paul Hedqvist (1895-1977). Counting as her first own work is a proposal for a new office building, drawn together with Ralph Erskine and Curt Laudon (1906-1964).

{{cite web|url= https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=10403|title= Sven Ivar H Lind|publisher=Svenskt biografiskt lexikon

|author= Helge Zimdal|accessdate=April 1, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/prittsel/paulhedqvist

|title= Paul Hedqvist|accessdate=April 1, 2019}}

In 1940, she married Swiss architect Charles-Edouard Geisendorf (1913-1985).

In 1950 Geisendorf and her husband started their own architectural firm, L. & C. E. Geisendorf, in Stockholm with a branch in Zurich.

Together they designed both private and public work. Notable works include Villa Ranängen at Djursholm (1950-1951), Villa Delin (1966) and St. Görans Gymnasium, (1970).

{{cite news|title = Nu var det 1914: Arkitekten Léonie Geisendorf 100 år|language = sv|publisher = Sveriges Radio|date = 2014-06-25|url = http://sverigesradio.se/sida/avsnitt/388776?programid=767|accessdate = 2015-04-15}}

{{cite web|url= http://kulturnav.org/3619c88e-cc0f-4983-a3fd-0fd63499b9c2 |title= Laudon, Curt (1906-1964)|publisher= KulturNav

|accessdate=April 1, 2019}}

{{cite web|url= http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D27340.php |title= Geisendorf, Charles-Edouard|publisher= Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse|author= Elisabeth Ellenberger |accessdate=April 1, 2019}}

In 2003, for her achievements in the field of architecture, she was awarded by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Prince Eugen Medal.{{Cite web |title=Lèonie Geisendorf |url=https://www.kungahuset.se/sveriges-monarki/ordnar-och-medaljer/sok-medaljforlaningar/2003/2021-07-09-leonie-geisendorf |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=www.kungahuset.se |language=sv}}

Images

Geisendorf 1990.jpg|Geisendorf in her Karman Ghia, 1990

Geisendorf kontor 1960-tal.jpg|Geisendorf's office mid-1960s (Léonie standing in the middle).

ETG-gruppen corso.jpg|Suggested zoning "Corso" in Stockholm 1965.

Tengbom Geisendorf Erskine 1966.jpg|ETG-group: Anders Tengbom, Léonie Geisendorf and Ralph Erskine

Images, buildings

Riksrådsvägen vinter 1983a.jpg|Residential area Riksrådsvägen

St Görans gymnasium 2012d.jpg|St. Görans Gymnasium

Villa Delin 2013a.jpg|Villa Delin

Värtavägen Fyrtalet 2012c.jpg|Student housing Fyrtalet

References

{{Reflist|2}}

Sources

Geisendorf, Léonie; Gullström Charlie (1990). Arkitektur. Stockholm: Byggförlaget. Libris 7678723. {{ISBN|91-7988-019-3}}

Daniel A. Walser, Léonie Geisendorf (1914-2016), Nachruf. In: Werk, bauen + wohnen, Nr. 6, 2016, S. 6[https://www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?pid=wbw-004%3A2016%3A103%3A%3A427&referrer=search#427]