Noldi Schreck
Encyclopedia
Arnold "Noldi" Schreck was a Siberian
-born classical architect and designer. Also an artist, painter and decorator, he became a citizen of Mexico. Schreck designed restaurants, residences, hotels, clubs, offices, shops, movie sets, ports and entire villages. His work is in Mexico, Europe, Africa, North America, and South America.
, Siberia
, Russia in 1921. His Swiss father was one of the first naval engineers to sail up the Lena River
in Siberia. His mother belonged to a large and wealthy Russian family, and her father was the owner of the shipyard. Schreck's father died when he was only three years old. Subsequently, the child and his mother traveled to Switzerland to meet Schreck's paternal grandparents. Life in Switzerland was not easy. Schreck studied in an orphanage while his mother worked as a seamstress. He played soccer on the weekends, and was an apprentice in jewelry design, then furniture and architecture.
, USA. Here he designed buildings before going to Mexico where he designed and constructed the Zona Rosa
, earning himself the nickname, el arquitecto de la Zona Rosa ("the architect of Zona Rosa
"). The architect Luis Barragán
stated that Schreck was the creator of "Acapulco style, with its splendid palapas and tasteful details, crafts and fabrics of different textures, and glowing colors." His works include, the Chalet Suizo in Guatemala, as well as being set decorator
for the 1965 drama, Love Has Many Faces
.
In 1966, an important event occurred in Schreck's life at his Zona Rosa office when Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg visited him after traveling through Cabo San Lucas
and Acapulco
where he stayed in two buildings which were designed by Schreck. Hohenlohe-Langenburg asked Shreck to design the Marbella Club Hotel
's Beach Club on the Costa del Sol
, Spain. In the same year, Schreck met Jose Banus, a close friend of Francisco Franco
. Schreck went on to design Puerto Banús
, which was built by Banús. It became a destination visited by people from around the world. Schreck was an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Mexican Architects.
, with his wife, daughters and granddaughters at his side. Posthumously, he was awarded a Star on the Boulevard of Fame of Puerto Banús in Marbella on 26 July 2010.
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
-born classical architect and designer. Also an artist, painter and decorator, he became a citizen of Mexico. Schreck designed restaurants, residences, hotels, clubs, offices, shops, movie sets, ports and entire villages. His work is in Mexico, Europe, Africa, North America, and South America.
Early years
Arnold "Noldi" Schreck was born in YakutskYakutsk
With a subarctic climate , Yakutsk is the coldest city, though not the coldest inhabited place, on Earth. Average monthly temperatures range from in July to in January. The coldest temperatures ever recorded on the planet outside Antarctica occurred in the basin of the Yana River to the northeast...
, Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
, Russia in 1921. His Swiss father was one of the first naval engineers to sail up the Lena River
Lena River
The Lena is the easternmost of the three great Siberian rivers that flow into the Arctic Ocean . It is the 11th longest river in the world and has the 9th largest watershed...
in Siberia. His mother belonged to a large and wealthy Russian family, and her father was the owner of the shipyard. Schreck's father died when he was only three years old. Subsequently, the child and his mother traveled to Switzerland to meet Schreck's paternal grandparents. Life in Switzerland was not easy. Schreck studied in an orphanage while his mother worked as a seamstress. He played soccer on the weekends, and was an apprentice in jewelry design, then furniture and architecture.
Career
After his career start in Switzerland, he worked in Italy, France and England, before coming to Beverly Hills, CaliforniaBeverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
, USA. Here he designed buildings before going to Mexico where he designed and constructed the Zona Rosa
Zona Rosa
Zona Rosa is a neighborhood in Mexico City which is known for its shopping, nightlife, gay community, and its recently established Korean community...
, earning himself the nickname, el arquitecto de la Zona Rosa ("the architect of Zona Rosa
Zona Rosa
Zona Rosa is a neighborhood in Mexico City which is known for its shopping, nightlife, gay community, and its recently established Korean community...
"). The architect Luis Barragán
Luis Barragán
Luis Barragán Morfin was a Mexican architect. He was self-trained.-Early life:Educated as an engineer, he graduated from the Escuela Libre de Ingenieros in Guadalajara in 1923 and was self-trained as an architect.After graduation, he travelled through Spain, France , and...
stated that Schreck was the creator of "Acapulco style, with its splendid palapas and tasteful details, crafts and fabrics of different textures, and glowing colors." His works include, the Chalet Suizo in Guatemala, as well as being set decorator
Set decorator
A set decorator is in charge of the set dressing on a film set, which includes the furnishings, wallpaper, lighting fixtures, and many of the other objects that will be seen in the film. Props and set dressing often overlap, but are provided by different departments...
for the 1965 drama, Love Has Many Faces
Love Has Many Faces
Love Has Many Faces is a 1965 drama film made by Columbia Pictures. The movie was directed by Alexander Singer, and written by Marguerite Roberts. Nancy Wilson sings the title song whilst Edith Head designed Lana Turner's clothes.-Plot:...
.
In 1966, an important event occurred in Schreck's life at his Zona Rosa office when Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg visited him after traveling through Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas , commonly called Cabo, is a city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the municipality of Los Cabos in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,463 people...
and Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
where he stayed in two buildings which were designed by Schreck. Hohenlohe-Langenburg asked Shreck to design the Marbella Club Hotel
Marbella Club Hotel
The Marbella Club Hotel is a hotel in Marbella, Spain. Guests have included Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and Laurence Olivier.The hotel is located on the Southern Spanish Costa del Sol, on the "Golden Mile" near Old Town Marbella and Puerto Banús....
's Beach Club on the Costa del Sol
Costa del Sol
The Costa del Sol is a region in the south of Spain, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, comprising the coastal towns and communities along the Mediterranean coastline of the Málaga province. The Costa del Sol is situated between two lesser known costas: Costa de la Luz and Costa Tropical...
, Spain. In the same year, Schreck met Jose Banus, a close friend of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
. Schreck went on to design Puerto Banús
Puerto Banús
Puerto José Banús, more commonly known as Puerto Banús is a marina located in the area of Nueva Andalucía, to the southwest of Marbella, Spain on the Costa del Sol. It was built in May 1970 by José Banús, a local property developer, as a luxury marina and shopping complex for the rich and famous...
, which was built by Banús. It became a destination visited by people from around the world. Schreck was an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Mexican Architects.
Personal life
Schreck went to live in Mexico, where he became a naturalized citizen. At a party in the Swiss Embassy, he met his future wife, Ruth Schuler, who worked at the Swiss consulate in Toronto but was vacationing in Mexico. Schreck was a great domino player. He died in 2009 in Valle de Bravo, MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, with his wife, daughters and granddaughters at his side. Posthumously, he was awarded a Star on the Boulevard of Fame of Puerto Banús in Marbella on 26 July 2010.