Detlef Lienau | |
|---|---|
 image of Detlef Lienau | |
| Born | 17 February 1818 Uetersen, Denmark (now Germany) |
| Died | 29 August 1887 (aged 69) New York City] United States |
| Alma mater | École des Beaux-Arts, Paris |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Spouse |
Catherine Van Giesen Booraem
(after 1853) |
| Children | 5, including Jacob August Lienau |
| Buildings | Grace Church Van Vorst New Brunswick Theological Seminary Lockwood–Mathews Mansion |
Detlef Lienau (17 February 1818 – 29 August 1887) was a German architect born in Holstein. He is credited with having introduced the French style to American building construction, notably the mansard roof and all its decorative flourishes. Trained at the École des Beaux-Arts, Paris, he designed virtually every type of Victorian structure—cottages, mansions, townhouses, apartment houses, hotels, tenements, banks, stores, churches, schools, libraries, offices, factories, railroad stations, and a museum. Lienau was recognized by clients and colleagues alike as one of the most creative and technically proficient architects of the period, and was one of the 29 founding members of the American Institute of Architects.