Ulrik Plesner (architect, born 1930)

Ulrik Plesner
Born	(1930-07-13)July 13, 1930 Florence, Italy
Nationality	Danish
Alma mater	Herlufsholm School
Occupation	Architect
Awards	Nykredit Architecture Prize (1987) Eckersberg Medal (1987)

James John Ulrik Plesner (born 13 July 1930, Florence) is a Danish architect who has mainly worked abroad, most notably in Sri Lanka.

Career

Ulrik Plesner is the son of the historian, Professor Johan Frederik Plesner and painter Kathleen Risk. Already in his childhood he lived much abroad in the summer stay in England, Scotland and Italy. He graduated from Herlufsholm School in 1955. Plesner was employed by Kay Fisker 1956 - 57.

As a newly qualified architect won Plesner alone and in collaboration with others, 5 prizes. After receiving the Academy Fellowship 1956 and Fengers Scholarship 1958 he went to Sri Lanka (at the time Ceylon), where he stayed for 1958 - 1967 and with Geoffrey Bawa created a studio in Colombo and built Ekala Industrial Estate, Good Shepherd Chapel Bandarawela, Polontolawa house, St. Thomas Preparatory School, and many other buildings, mainly schools, factories, private houses and hotels. The buildings bear witness to an understanding of the context and the tropical climate prevailing there.

In 1967 he went to London, where he was at Arup Associates until 1972. At Arup has Plesner been responsible for the Oxford Mail and Times 'building, Kensington and Chelsea New Central Depot and Housing and was architectural consultant on highway bridges. 1972 he moved to Israel and established his own office in Jerusalem from the same year. Plesner has been a city architect in Jerusalem 1976 - 77, where he worked on a new urban plan, and architect of the World Bank 1980 - 87. He has sign Bet Gabriel cultural, adapted to the regional building traditions. He moved 1987 studio to Copenhagen and joined forces with Dan Wajnman. In the great competition for Copenhagen harbor, he attended 1985 with an acclaimed project. His most important work in Denmark is the city center Slotsarkaderne in Hillerød.

Ulrik Plesner has received the Jerusalem Prize 1982, Margot and Thorvald Dreyer's Honorary Award 1986, Nykredit Architecture Prize and Eckersberg Medal in 1987.

Plesner was married on 7 January 1966 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Israeli journalist and lecturer Tamar Liebes, (born 28 September 1943 in Jerusalem), the daughter of classical philologist, professor at Jerusalem University Yosef Gerhard Liebes and ceramicist Miriam Leibowitz. Their son, Yohanan, is an Israeli politician.

Works

Sri Lanka

• Ekala Industrial Estate, Ja-ela (1960 and 1965)
• Manager Property, Stathspey Tea Plantation, Maskeliya (1961)
• District Manager Property in Anuradhapura (1961)
• Headquarters for Lever Brothers Ltd., Colombo (1961)
• Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Bandarawela (1962)
• Medical Property with consultation, Galle (1962)
• Own studio, Colombo (1962)
• Bishops College, Colombo (1963)
• Polontolawa House (1963)
• Town house in Colombo (1963)
• Montessoriskolen, Colombo (1966)
• Bentota Beach Hotel (1967)
• 6 new towns in the Mahaweli Building program, designed as self-help (1980–87)

India

• Boys' Town, Madurai (1966)

Israel

• Liberty Bell Garden and Bloomfield Garden, Jerusalem (1977)
• Manhattan Sports Centre (sports hall, 1982)
• Confederation House (meeting center, renovation of several historic buildings, 1982)
• Bet Gabriel cultural and conference center at the Sea of Galilee (1993)

Denmark

• Slotsarkaderne, urban center in [[[Hillerød]] (1993, awarded)
• Interior of the concert hall in Støberihallen, [[[Hillerød]] (1993)

Projects

• Monument to 2500-the year of Buddha's Nirvana, Delhi (1956, 3rd prize)
• Herlev Sports (1956, together with Ib and Jorgen Rasmussen, 1st prize)
• Theatre and concert halls, Tel Aviv (1972, 2nd prize)
• Copenhagen Harbour Range of future (1985, with Dan Wajnman, 2nd prize)
• Covering Thomas B. Thriges Street, Odense (1991)

Written work

• Articles on architecture and planning architect, 1957-78.
• The Port of Copenhagen's future in politics 17 January 1982; 9 June 1984; 16 June 1984; 23 June 1984; 30 June 1984 and June–July 1987th

External links

• Art Index Denmark