Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) was a Finnish architect and designer known for his influential work in modern architecture and furniture design, emphasizing functionalism and human-centered design. His notable projects include the Paimio Sanatorium and Villa Mairea, both characterized by organic forms and the integration of nature, as well as innovative furniture like the Paimio chair and Viipuri stacking stools. Aalto received numerous accolades, including the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture, and his legacy continues through institutions and awards named in his honor.

1. ALVAR AALTO
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Addis college Archtectural Ext .Group -4
Instracter _Semegnsh

2.  Aalvar Aalto was born in
Kuortane, Finland.
 In 1916 he then enrolled to
study architecture at the Helsinki
University of Technology,
graduating in 1921.
 In 1923 he returned to
Jyväskylä, where he opened his
first architectural office.
 Jyväskylä would become a
notable city for his architecture,
with more buildings designed by
him than in any other city.
 Alvar alto’s principle was
FUNCTIONALISM IN
FURNITURE DESIGN.
Otaniemi Technical University, Finland
Red brick, black granite, and
copper combine in Alvar Aalto's
buildings for the Otaniemi
Technical University in Espoo,
Finland.

3. • Alvar Aalto (1898 – 1976)
• Turun Sanomat - 1927
Aalto designed this industrial
building to house a
newspaper and its printing
facility in the city of Turku.
The Concrete structure is
influenced by the Art Deco
style. This is evident in the
column forms. The ceiling
was sealed to give it a shiny
finish.
Sanomat - Warehouse
Sanomat - Exterior

4. • Alvar Aalto (1898 – 1976)
• Turun Sanomat - 1927
The Lobby was sealed concrete & Plaster
walls with tile floors. Again the Art Deco
style comes through. This is one of the
better concrete structures in all of Europe.
Sanomat - Warehouse
Sanomat – Office Lobby

5. • Alvar Aalto (1898 – 1976)
• Paimio Sanitorium - 1929 - 1933
In designing this hospital,
Aalto began to look at the
human condition. The
design was based on how
human’s heal. This was
truly a case where form
followed function. The
Sprawling building
stretches out & creates
courtyards which allow
natural light into all
rooms. Nature blends its
way from exterior to
interior throughout this
building with all of its roof
decks. It was Aalto’s
belief that nature was
truly necessary to heal
oneself.
Sanitorium – Exterior Sanitorium – Plan

6. • Alvar Aalto (1898 – 1976)
• Paimio Sanitorium - 1929 - 1933
Aalto also believed that
bright colors made people
feel better and be more
active. Psychological tests
proved this to be true. So
the lobby was treated with
Bright yellow walls and
floor tiles to offset the
white. Blue was used as
an accent.
Sanitorium – Stair Sanitorium – lobby

7. • Alvar Aalto (1898 – 1976)
• Paimio Sanitorium - 1929 - 1933
Aalto studied rigorously the effects of lighting & heating on
the infirmed. The diagrams show the interplay of natural &
artificial light. The beds designed by Aalto were designed to
be flexible. The spaces were designed for being horizontal.
The ceiling colors were darker to give the patient a more
restful color to look at. Even the bent wood chair had its
purpose. It was designed to put a person at the correct
angle to enhance their breathing.
Sanitorium – chair Sanitorium – diagrams

8. • Studied Architecture between 1916-1921 at
the Technical University of Helsinki.
 Used wood instead of metal for his furniture.
• Started to produce his innovative plywood
chairs in the1930s, and create a new trend in
use of plywood.
• Built Paimio Sanatorium in Turku in 1930s
• His ideas had a strong influence on designers
of the period such as Charles and Ray
Eames.
• Founded Artek, a furniture design
company in 1935 with his colleagues
Harry and Marie Gullichsen.
Finlandia Hall
• Designed the Villa Mairea, one of the admired buildings of modern architecture with
his perception of organic links between people, nature and buildings.

9. Seinajoki Town Hall
Enso-Gutzeit Headquarters
Headquarters for the White Guards

10. • His design philosophy was
influenced by nature and
organic materials, unlike other
furniture of the same period with
materials as tubular steel, which
were quite modern at the time.
• Designed vases with curvilinear
bases and straight sides for
Savoy Restaurant – Turku
• With his innovative designs and
natural forms he changed the
course of design towards
organic Modernism.
• The beauty of his work is hidden in his
design approach of Functionalism but
with a strong connection to the
organic relationship between man,
nature and buildings.
• He coordinated these three
components and created a synthesis of
life in materialized form.
• He designed in very different scales –
ranging from buildings, town plans,
furniture, glassware, jewellery and
other forms of art.
DESIGN PHILOSOPHIES

11.  His design concepts were
organic and using the human
form.
 His buildings and chairs were first
prompted by the user.
 The seats and handles were
moulded to the human form.
 Of all architectural furniture, his is
the closest to humanity.
 Alvar Aalto designed laminated
timber furniture.
 He saw that tubular steel lacked
human qualities.
 He used local Birchwood as a
substitution for steel tubing.
ALVAR ALTO’S FURNITURE DESIGN
 He concluded that standardization
and mass production could not be
sustained in Finland's small
economy.
 His chairs were the result of great
study and investigation into, posture,
laminated wood, aesthetic
considerations and efficient
mechanical methods of mass
production.
 Alvar Aalto’s furniture included:
 The Paimio Chair
 The Viipuri Stacking Stools
 Cantilevered Chair

12. PAIMIO CHAIR
 Paimio Chair is said to have been
influenced by the curved contours of
the Finnish lakes.
 It is one of the most elegant modern
chairs.
 The frame is laminated birch bent into
a closed curve with solid birch cross-
rails.
 The seat is molded from one piece of
birch plywood.
 The springy plywood fixed on a closed
frame was Aalto’s brainstorm for
making a wooden chair “soft”.
 The Paimio Chair is constructed from
both two dimensional molded plywood
and laminated timber.
 The curves are made by clamping
layers of veneer and glue over a
form to achieve the desired
curved shapes.

13.  It was supported by cantilevered continuous arm and leg frame of laminated
Birch plywood steam bent in the shape of a "C" and had horizontal braces to the
back.
 The frame was
thicker from the
front of the seat
down as there was
more stress on the
frame there.
 He constructed the
frame with 7 layers
of lamination and
less for the arms
and back as they
required less
reinforcement.
Interior of the Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Paimio

14. VIIPURI STACKING STOOLS
 The Viipuri collection of furniture
complemented Aalto's forward
thinking design.
 The stacking stool - this was
made up of only four wooden parts,
three Aalto Legs and a round seat.
 These three legged stools are
versatile and functional
 The stack ability means that they
are ideal for large gathering areas
with small storage spaces.
 The legs were attached to the seat
at 120 degree angles which meant
they could interlock and stack
easily.
 They then take up a minimal
storage space so are ideal for
schools, meeting rooms or
offices.
 They were available in children
and adult sizes.
 The legs were varnished natural
Birch timber and the seats were
made from natural Birch timber,
primary and white laminates.

15. Auditorium of the Viipuri Municipal Library

16. CANTILEVERED CHAIR
 Otherwise known as the Cantilever
chair no.31; Made of Bent laminated
and solid birch frame with bent
plywood seat section; has a more
subtle curved form.

17. Sofa 544 designed by Alvar
Aalto (1932)
Lounge chair 43 designed
by Alvar Aalto

18. Inspired by nature and made to Alvar Aalto's
humanist design philosophy, the iconic form
still proves to be as popular as it did when it
was launched in 1937
The Savoy Vase or the Aalto Vase
Tea trolley by Alto

19. Chair 66 designed by Alvar
Aalto (1935)
Pendant lamp
A110 desinged
by Alvar Aalto (1952)

20. Pendant lamp
A331
Armchair 401
Bench 153B
Interior of Academic Bookshop,
Helsinki

21. Riihitie House, Helsinki
Interior of a summer House
Interior of Finnish Pavilion

22. Views of Villa Mairea, Finland –
Built in the middle of a Pine
Forest

23. Interior views of villa Mairea
The uneven patterning of poles stairs are
designed to mimic the forests outdoors
Brick wall used as a sculptural element

24. • Alvar Aalto (1898 – 1976)
• Villa Mairea - 1938 - 1941
One of Aalto’s most impressive buildings. In it Aalto
combined many different materials to create diverse
forms.
The Finish culture is extremely in tune with nature.
Aalto’s work highlights this through the use of
natural materials & Organic forms. Also design
elements such as the pool and the rubble masonry
wall add to the aesthetic.
Villa Mairea - Exterior Villa Mairea - Plan

25. • Alvar Aalto (1898 – 1976)
• Villa Mairea - 1938 - 1941
Aalto uses wood ceilings and floors. The walls are
plaster. All the furniture is designed by Aalto as
well. Again, he likes to bring nature into the
building. At the fireplace, Aalto carves out an
opening that allows him to add a window and create
a shelf. The form is as if it had been eroded away
over time.
Villa Mairea - Entrance Villa Mairea – Living Room

26. Interior views of villa Mairea

27. HIS BULDINGS.
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28. AFTER MANY SECUSSES & AWARD ..
AALTO'S DEAD IN 1976. AALTO'S AWARDS INCLUDED THE ROYAL GOLD MEDAL
FOR ARCHITECTURE FROM THE ROYAL INSTITUTE OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS (1957)
AND THE GOLD MEDAL FROM THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS (1963). HE
WAS ELECTED A FOREIGN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF
ARTS AND SCIENCES IN 1957.[ HE ALSO WAS A MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OF
FINLAND, AND WAS ITS PRESIDENT FROM 1963 TO 1968. FROM 1925 TO 1956 HE
WAS A MEMBER OF THE CONGRÈS INTERNATIONAL D'ARCHITECTUREMODERNE.

29. MEMORIALS
• Aalto has been commemorated in a number of ways:
• Alvar Aalto is the eponym of the Alvar Aalto Medal, now considered one of
world architecture's most prestigious awards.
• Aalto was featured in the 50 mk note in the last series of the Finnish markka
(before its replacement by the Euro in 2002).
• The centenary of Aalto's birth in 1998 was marked in Finland not only by
several books and exhibitions but also by the promotion of specially bottled
red and white Aalto Wine and a specially-designed cup-cake.
• In the year of his death, 1976, Aalto was commemorated on a Finnish postage
stamp.
• Aalto University, a new Finnish university (an amalgamation of Helsinki
University of Technology, Helsinki School of Economics and TaiK) established in
2010, is named after Alvar Aalto.
• An Alvar Aallonkatu (Alvar Aalto Street) can be found in three different Finnish
cities: Jyväskylä, Oulu and Seinäjoki. 29

30. •The End
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