Arne Korsmo

Arne Korsmo emerged as a prominent architect in Norway and a proponent of the international architectural style.

Raised in Oslo, Arne Korsmo completed his final exams in 1920 and obtained a diploma in architecture from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in 1926. He gained practical experience with renowned Oslo architects such as Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson. During 1926–27, Korsmo worked at Finn Bryn and Johan Ellefsen's architectural office, where he was first introduced to modernism. In 1928, he established his own practice in collaboration with architect Sverre Aasland. Numerous villas, considered masterpieces of Norwegian functionalism, were designed and constructed during their partnership. One notable work is Villa Stenersen, created between 1937 and 1939 for the financier and art collector Rolf Stenersen.

Beginning in 1935, Korsmo taught at the Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry in Oslo and served as a professor at the Norwegian Institute of Technology. Simultaneously, he pursued architectural and design projects, often collaborating with his second wife, designer Grete Prytz Kittelsen. Noteworthy among his assignments were overseeing Norway's pavilion at the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (1937) and organizing Norway's participation in Milan X Triennale (1954). In 1939, young architect Robert Little worked in Korsmo's office, as noted in Little's biography in the American Architects Directory in 1962. 

In 1950, Swiss art historian Sigfried Giedion invited Korsmo to lead the Norwegian contingent of the Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne. The group, named PAGON (Progressive Architects Group Oslo, Norway), aimed to advance and advocate for modern architecture. Other key figures in PAGON included Sverre Fehn, Geir Grung, Christian Norberg-Schulz, and Håkon Mjelva.

In 1937, Arne Korsmo, along with architect Sverre Aasland, was honored with the Houen Foundation Award for their contributions. In 1939, he received the same award for his involvement in the Havna allé housing development. Additionally, in 1939, Korsmo was bestowed with the French Legion of Honor. His achievements were further acknowledged at the Triennale in Milan, where he secured the Grand Prix and a gold medal in 1954, followed by a silver medal in 1957. Posthumously, he was commemorated with a memorial exhibition at the Henie-Onstad Art Centre in 1972.

Sources

• Wikipedia Arne Korsmo