Karl Hård af Segerstad

28.01.1873, Helsinki - 22.10.1931, Helsinki

Architect 1895, Polytechnic Institute, Helsinki

During his student years Karl Adam Nils Gabriel Hård af Segerstad worked in the offices of Kiseleff & Heikel and Grahn, Hedman & Wasastjerna. He set up an office of his own in 1896 and worked in collaboration with Bertel Jung for some time. In 1901–07 he was an assisntant architect in the Provincial Building Office of Viipuri and after this City Architect of Helsinki until 1921, the first holder of this office. Died at the age of 58, his last position was that of Secreatry of the City Treasury.

Karl Hård af Segerstad’s architecture is sturdy and ornamental. This nobleman’s ideals go back to Sweden and the architecture of its period as a major power. One of his most famous works is the Nylands Nation students’ union building at Kasarmikatu, Helsinki. Executed following an architectural competition, the building with soapstone facades was completed in 1901. Of his buildings in Viipuri, the best-known in Finland is the Market Hall from 1906.

As Helsinki City Architect Hård af Segerstad designed several municipal buildings assisted by Runar Eklund and Einar Flinckenberg. The Kallio Library with great spatial charm was built in 1912, the Hakaniemi Market Hall two years later. The project architect of the Market Hall was Einar Flinckenberg. Helsinki City Architect’s work included school design: the Cygnaeus School by Hård af Segerstad was built in 1911, the Eläintarha School in 1915 and the Topelius School in 1917.

The museum received a remarkable donation of Karl Hård af Segerstad’s drawings in 2004. In addition to Nylands Nation, it includes a lot of interesting, central and still uncatalogued material.