Konstantīns Pēkšēns

Konstantīns Pēkšēns ( born March 8, 1859 in the municipality Mazsalaca, Governorate of Livonia, † June 23, 1928 in Bad Kissingen ) was one of the first professional Latvian architect. In Riga after his designs about 250 buildings were erected.

Life

Pēkšēns parents were farmers in Good Nuku at Mazsalaca. 1869, when Konstantīns was 10 years old, the family moved to the city to Riga. He was the first Latvian architect who received his training at the Riga Polytechnic. After he had first worked with Jānis Frīdrihs Baumanis, he headed his own architectural firm in 1886. At the beginning of the 20th century, he founded an additional installation company for central heating, which was the largest of its kind in Riga and existed until 1940. In addition to his corporate work Pēkšēns was a member of the Riga Latvian Society and from 1909 deputy in Riga City Council. He participated in the publication of several Latvian -language magazines. Pēkšēns died in 1928 during a spa stay in Bad Kissingen and was buried in the Riga Forest Cemetery.

• Many later successful Latvian architects (eg: arbor, Vanags, poles, Malvess ) worked at the beginning of the 20th century in the workshop of Pēkšēns
• In Riga, a street is named after Pēkšēns

Work

The first buildings Pēkšēns were carried out in traditional eclectic styles. Buildings such as the Berga bazars (now the Culture House " Draudzība " ) have a steady rhythm with decorative elements. As one of the first to Pēkšēns freed from the compositional standards of eclecticism and turned to the contemporary youth style. Buildings such as the tenements Smilšu ielā 2 and Strelnieku ielā 6 bear rich ornamental decorative ornaments. More Art Nouveau apartment buildings in the National Romantic style apartments are located in Brīvības ielā 192 and Alberta ielā 12 The latter houses since 2009, a museum of Art Nouveau.