Professional Activities of Latvian Born Lithuanian Architect and Engineer

HISTORY OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION No. 2, Sept. 2018, p. 100.–116. 2018/2 PROFESSIONALdoi: 10.7250/HESIHE.2018.008 ACTIVITIES OF LATVIAN BORN LITHUANIAN ARCHITECT AND ENGINEER IN ŠIAULIAI KAROLIS REISONAS (1894–1981) SIGITAS VLADAS SALADŽINSKAS Lithuanian Society for Engineering Graphics and Geometry (Vilnius, Lithuania) KRISTINA VAISVALAVIČIENĖ* Vytautas Magnus University (Kaunas, Lithuania) Summary. The article introduces the life of not well-known in Latvia Latvian born Lithuanian Karolis Reisonas (in Latvian: Kārlis Reisons and his professional activities in Šiauliai city, as well as highlights the main features of the architect’s creative work and the importance of his; 1894–1981)work in the history of Lithuanian architecture. K. Reisonas was one of the most prominent creators of modern architecture of the 20th century during interwar period in Lithuania. He is the author and co-author of representative buildings in the cities of Lithuania, as well as in Riga and Adelaide (Australia). K. Reisonas Šiauliai city and Head graduated from Riga Real School (1913) and St. Petersburg Institute of Civil ofEngineers the Tenth (1920). Courses He has of workedŠiauliai as the Engineer of the theof the Šiauliai Construction1 Department of the Municipality (1922–1930), the Director Construction (1925), later – the DirectorŠiauliai of cities are included Vocational in the School list of(1926), cultural and values an Advisor of Lithuania. of Lithuania K. Reisonas Chamber’ early of projectsAgriculture are (1927–1928). characterized Fourteen by historicism, building eclecticto his design elements, in Kaunas of «brick and style». Later projects have the features of aesthetic rationalism, functionalism, and adaptation to urban and cultural-historical context. After the Second World War, he and his family immigrated to Germany, later Adelaide in Australia, where he participated in the life of the Adelaide Lithuanian community. The Tenth – (Lithuanian – dešimtininkas) – builder work groups, brigade of ten persons. 1 * Corresponding author. E-pasts: [email protected] Sigitas Vladas Saladžinskas, Kristina Vaisvalavičiene. Publisher RTU Press. This is an open access article licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License 100 © 2018 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Sigitas Vladas Saladžinskas, Kristina Vaisvalavičienė Professional Keywords: Karolis Reisonas, Latvian architects in Lithuania, architecture of activities of Lithuania, Šiauliai city. Latvian born Lithuanian architect and Introduction engineer Karolis The aim of the article is to introduce the life and professional activi- Reisonas (1894– 1981) in Šiauliai ties of a famous engineer and architect of Lithuania, Karolis Reisonas, as well as to update the architectural heritage and the importance of his work in the history of Lithuanian architecture. The architect and Leader of the Šiauliai Construction Department K. Reisonas was one of the most prominent architects creating the architectural identity of Šiauliai city during the inter-war period. Researching and promoting his works is especially relevant today, as in recent years in Lithuania significant steps have been taken to bring the modern architecture of the interwar period to the UNESCO World included in the list of cultural values of Lithuania. HeritageThe Latvian List [1]. origin Fourteen of K. of Reisonas buildings provokes in Lithuania the question designed whether by him arethe architect’s work in Lithuania was of interest to the Latvian community So far, the research in this direction has not been done, therefore the aut- horsand whether of the article he communicated looked at the workwith ofhis K. colleagues Reisonas in – theLatvian reception architects. of the Latvian press in the interwar period of the 20th century. Sigitas Vladas Saladžinskas, one of the authors of the article, has studied K. Reisonas’ biography and works in Šiauliai city as well as in other studied by historians Jolita Kančienė Morta Baužiene ofcities other [2; authors3], whereas (V. Petrulis,the architect’s M. Dremaite creative, and period G. Jankeviciute in Kaunas )has analyse been [4] and [5]. Articles whole work and biography of K. Reisonas. In previous publications, there haveonly isolatedbeen factual objects errors, in Kaunas unreasonable [6] and are interpretations, fragmented in sorelation this articleto the provides most up-to-date, more precise and complementary information about the architect. The family, studies and beginning of professional activities of Karolis Reisonas Karolis Reisonas «Inčas», in Pabaži Saulkrasti Sīmanis Reisons and Minna Zvaigzne was born onPēterupe 26 April Evangelical 1894, in Lutheran Church parish (at present – city [7]. His parentsKārlis ( Karolis– ) and daughter Anna – got married in Sīmanis in 1892, and their two children – the son (born in 1903) were baptized in the mentioned church. 101 HISTORY OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION 2018/2 Reisons Pēterupe Fisherman’s Pabaži parish, devoted much attention – theto theowner education of a sailboat, of children. a member Private of the school operated at his Association – was an honourable resident of The upcoming engineer and architect, Karolis Reisonas, studied at pri- home (1912–1933). Realschule (secon- vate school until 1905, later joined the 5th Grade of the dary modern school)Eduards of Tsar Malts, Peter Jānis the Eduards Great [8].Staklis In 1913,(who hesubsequently completed tookthe seventh part in additionalthe development grade ofof thisthe Latvianschool [9]. railway Touring infrastructure), with some of andthe school’s mates – K. Reisonas joined the St. Nicholas I Institute of Civil Engineers. The First Worldothers War– he wentand the to the October capital Revolution of Russia –interrupted St. Petersburg the at progress that time of [10]. the future engineer a bit, but he managed to avoid mobilization and succes- - ture.sfully After graduated studies, from K. Reisonasthe special department of this institute in 1917. In- tantthe years Professor 1919–1920, of the heDepartment continued hisof Civil studies Architecture in the Faculty of P. of Dimitrijev Architec worked until the end of 1921 as an Assis an independent Latvia. [11] and as the Engineer of the Petrograd district, and later returned to young engineer tried to get a job in his home country, but he did not In 1922, having received a passport of a citizen of Latvia [12], the K. Reisonas began to work in the municipality of Šiauliai, wheresucceed. he Soon,took the a professional position of Engineer career opportunity and Head of Constructionarose in Lithuania Depart –- in April 1922, ment [13]. Figure 1. Photo from K. Reisonas’ passport (1922) It is not really known[12]. what prompted the Latvian citizen to go to Šiauliai city and when he learned the Lithuanian language. After some years spent in Lithuania, he had already mastered the Lithuanian lan- study books, participated in various conferences and congresses. In one guage very well – he published articles in the Lithuanian press, published 102 Sigitas Vladas Saladžinskas, Kristina Vaisvalavičienė Professional of the interviews, K. Reisonas’ daughter Renata mentioned that before activities of Latvian born her parents got married, Lithuanian language to his father was taught Lithuanian architect and Elena Butnevičiūtė K. Reisonas received a permission engineer Karolis fromby her the mother Bishop – ofthen Rome a student to marry in Elena the Faculty, and they of gotLaw married of the Universityin Kaunas of Lithuania – [14]. Reisonas (1894– Renata 1981) in Šiauliai Irvis cityK. in Reisonas 1930 [15]. had Both contact children with – daughterthe Lithuanians (born already in 1931)in Realschule and son (secondary (born in modern 1934) were school) born of in the Kaunas Tsar city. Peter the Great, where many Lithuanian children studied and well-known Lithuanian mathematics teachers and authors of study books worked. Writer Pranas Mašiotas Marcelinas Šikšnys founded(1863–1940) the Lithuanianworked in Culturalthe school Society from in1892–1915 Riga and secretlyand taught their mother (1874–1970) language worked to children. in the Duringschool fromK. Reisonas 1899–1915.’ study They years had in Petrograd, many Lithuanians also studied there: the future architect of Antanas Jokimas Grigorijus Gumeniukas Aleksandras Gordevičius Kaunas – (1894–1964;Stasys Kudokas graduated in 1921), (1892–?; graduated in K.1917), Reisonas ’ collaborated during(1891– desig- ning1941; and graduated construction in 1918), of the Šiauliai Drama Theatre,(1898–1988; but with graduated Grigorijus in Gumeniukas1918), and others. With the latter, possible that the school and study mates helped to find work in Šiauliai. The position he designed of Head ofthe the Kaunas Šiauliai Cinema Construction «Forum» Department (1929–1930). was Itdif is- ficult, the scope of work was wide. During the First World War, the city three quarters, but at the beginning of the 20th century, Šiauliai began had lost about 65 % ofK. theReisonas buildings, had to the supplement population and had reorganize decreased the by to grow rapidly [16]. Šiauliai City Municipality Board preliminary plan for the reconstruction of the city several times (1922; 1924;As 1927),the city which grew was rapidly, approved there by was the a lack of specialists, therefore, K.in 1920Reisonas [17]. organized a training for land surveyors and other specialists who could work in construction. A drawing room was established

Load more