Karl Siegfried Döhring

Karl Siegfried Döhring (often misspelled Döring; 14 August 1879, in Cologne – 1 June 1941, in Darmstadt; also known as Ravi Ravendro) was a German architect, art historian and archaeologist. He lived mostly in Siam, now called Thailand.

Döhring studied architecture in Berlin. He was fascinated by the rich art and architecture of Burma, and after completing his architectural studies in Berlin in 1905, he applied for a position with the Royal Siamese government in Bangkok. He began his work in July 1906 as an engineer with the Royal State Railways.

Between 1906 and 1912, he planned and supervised the construction of various railway buildings: including headquarters, crew accommodation, warehouses, a printing house and several train stations at Bangkok Noi (Thonburi), Phitsanulok, Phichit, Phichai (Tambon), Uttaradit and Sawankhalok. Besides his work for the Royal train, he also designed a number of homes and commercial buildings, some of which have not yet been identified.

In 1909, Döhring accepted a position as an architect and engineer with the Siamese Ministry of Interior. There, he made the acquaintance of many high-ranking officers of the ministry, and attracted the attention of members of the royal family who were working in the ministry - among them, Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, half brother of King Chulalongkorn and first interior minister of Thailand, and Dilok Nopharat, Prince of Sarn. In his first two years at the Ministry, he was charged with designing and overseeing the construction of four major private buildings for members of the royal family. He built a residence for King Chulalongkorn in Phetchaburi, a palace for Prince Damrong, a palace for Prince Dilok and, for Queen Sukhumala Marasri, the sixth wife of Chulalongkorn, a residential building in the palace of her son, Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandhu (1881–1944), Field Marshal and Prince of Nakhon Sawan). He also was responsible for creating maps of Nakhon Pathom and Phetchaburi.

Unlike contemporary Western architects working in Siam at that time, Döhring's designs were not mere copies of European architectural style. Instead, he tried to combine Western and Thai architecture, adapting of old forms to new needs in a very personalized way. His buildings are individual, because they were "tailor-made" to the needs and expectations of his clients. The villa, for example, which he built for King Chulalongkorn in Phetchaburi, is a grand and imposing building. From a distance, it resembles the theaters of Oskar Kaufmann who was very popular in Germany at that time. The palace of Prince Damrong by contrast, is a work of simple elegance. For Prince Dilok, he used spare masculine lines. The residence of Queen Sukhumala Marasri captures the character of its female occupant - graceful and feminine.

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