Alvar Aalto Finnish Famous Architect

Agenda

• Brief Introduction• Design Characteristics of Architecture• Architecture CareerI. Early Career: ClassicismII. Early Career: FunctionalismIII. Mid Career: ExperimentationIV. Mature Career: Monumentalism

• Furniture Design• Conclusion

Brief IntroductionArchitecture Furniture

TextilesGlasses

Made a breakthrough on relationship between architecture and the environment, architectural forms and psychological feelings.pivotal in the history of modern architecture master.

Brief Introduction

Nordic Classicism

Functionalism

Experimentation

Brief Introduction

Monumentalism

Typical for entire career:Design as a total work of art——

design not just the building, but give special treatments to the interior surfaces and design furniture, lamps, and furnishings and glassware.

• Natural reproduction & Ecological architecture• Meet requirements of human spirits• Creativity and randomness• Used various natural resources• Make full use of environment• Simple & Practical; not pompous, not luxurious• create a unique national style, and have his own

distinct personality

Design Characteristics

• After returning to Jyväskylä in 1923, establish his own architect's office

• A number of single-family homes, all designed in the Nordic Classicism style

• Completed his first public buildings • Entered several architectural competitions both in

Finland and abroad• Most prolific in his writings, with articles for

professional journals and newspapers

Architecture Career Early Career: Classicism

• Shift in design approach from classicism to modernism is epitomized by Viipuri Library (1927–35)

• A transformation from an originally classical competition entry proposal to the completed high-modernist building

• Question of such an orthodox modernist approach and a move to a more daring, synthetic attitude

• First achieved world attention in architecture.

Architecture Career Early Career: Functionalism

• Viipuri Library (1927–35)

• Turun Sanomat Building (1929–30)

• Paimio Sanatorium (1929–32)

Architecture Career Early Career: Functionalism

• Paimio Sanatorium (1929–32)I. Always put the interests of “little people” as a measure of

the building. II. Every detail in the design of treatment are starting from the

environment and life.III. Spreading throughout the undulating terrain and in harmony

with surrounding environment.IV. Carefully consider the living need for patients.V. greatly expanded the meaning of functionalism.

Architecture Career Early Career: Functionalism

Villa Mairea, Noormarkku, Western Finland

Architecture CareerMid Career: Experimentation

The Baker House, MIT student dormitory,Cambridge, USA

Helsinki House of Culture Kansaneläkelaitos, Helsinki (KELA, National Social Insurance Institution)

Aalto University campus, Otaniemi

Finlandia Hall, Helsinki

Helsinki Electricity Company office

Architecture CareerMature Career : Monumentalism

DESIGN AND FURNITURES

AALTO STYLE• He worked with his wife Aino

• Founding father of the new Scandinavian design

• « organic » design, with fluid shapes and curved lines

• He preferred the use of plywood rather than industrial materials

SAVOY VASE

• Part of the « Eskimo-woman’s leather pants » collection

• Displayed at the Paris world’s fair in 1937 in Finland's pavilion

• The most famous object in Finnish design

• Shows Aalto obsession for “organic” shapes

• Meaning: -inspired by the Finnish landscape (lakes) -the base of the cross section of a tree trunk -reminder of the fluids that it will contain - “aalto” means wave in Finnish…

FURNITURES

CONCLUSION

• Human-centric design• Natural materials• Harmony• Acknowledged worldwide