The Modern Architecture of Curitiba - Frederico Kirchgässner

Frederick Kirchgässner was born in Karlsrube, Germany. He was brought to Brazil with his parents and registered as born on April 12th, 1899 at Ibirama in Santa Catarina. He moved to Curitiba as a child, studying at the Deutcheknabeuschule of Bom Jesus School.
Kirchgässner began to work as designer for the City Hall of Curitiba on June 25th, 1916, staying at the Department of Urbanism until his retirement. In 1929 he travelled to Berlin, where he has got his degree as architect. He died in Curitiba on August 19th, 1988.


Frederico Kirchgässner House (1930).

Kirchgässner designed and built his own house in 1930, a year that marks the first manifestation of modernist architecture in Curitiba. This house is a small masterpiece, the deployment and distribution of the program, the care with which the technique used to built it, the gateways and the use of the roof deck, and the refinement in every detail of the house, from the frames to the furniture.

Bernardo Kirchgässner House (1936).

Kirchgässner designed his brother's house which was his second modernist project with a simpler design. The house has a slope to the back of the lot and presents an interesting composition of volumes. Seeking sunshine on three sides of the house, the architect raised a blind wall on the left e boundary of the lot, which orientation is south.

Portugal Street Building (1958)

The building of the Portugal Street has detailed architecture with Art Deco reminiscences. It was built with no independent structure of reinforced concrete. This four-storey building was deployed occupying all limits of the site.