Aalto

Alvar Aalto was a Finnish architect who created warm, curving, compassionate buildings that replaced plaster and steel with brick and wood, often incorporating undulating, wave-like forms. His public buildings, such as Säynätsalo Town Hall, the lecture theatre at Otaniemi Technical University, the Helsinki National Pensions Institute, and the Helsinki House of Culture, were psychological and physical landmarks in the rebuilding of Finland after the ravages of war.

Format: Hardback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 11 March 2021
Publisher: Taschen GmbH

Alvar Aalto, a Finnish architect who lived between 1898 and 1976, left a lasting impact on modernist architecture. Born and raised in Finland, Aalto was deeply influenced by the landscape and political independence of his homeland. His designs were characterized by their warmth, curving forms, and compassionate approach, which stood in stark contrast to the sleek, mechanistic, and geometric designs prevalent in contemporary European architecture. Aalto's buildings often replaced plaster and steel with brick and wood, incorporating undulating, wave-like forms that were also evident in his furniture, glassware, and lamp designs. He believed that modern architecture should focus on working with materials to create a more human line, rather than using immature new materials. Many of Aalto's public buildings, such as the Säynätsalo Town Hall, the lecture theatre at Otaniemi Technical University, the Helsinki National Pensions Institute, and the Helsinki House of Culture, became psychological and physical landmarks in the rebuilding of Finland after the devastation of World War II. Aalto's designs were not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing, and they continue to inspire architects and designers around the world.

Weight: 620g
Dimension: 264 x 217 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783836560108