ALVAR AALTO - isaventuri.it · Alvar Aalto was born in Finland in 1898. His father was a...
Transcript of ALVAR AALTO - isaventuri.it · Alvar Aalto was born in Finland in 1898. His father was a...
Alvar Aalto was born in Finland in
1898. His father was a topographer
and his mother was a postman.
Alvar graduated in Jyväskylä, then
studied architecture at the Helsinki
University of Technology and
graduated as an architect in 1921 .
He tried to be successful in the
capital but he didn’t succeed, then
returned to Jyväskylä, where he
opened an architectural firm. In his
studio he met Aino Marsio who
later became his wife. He had with
her two children, and projects were
signed by Alvar and his wife.
ALVAR AALTO
In 1933 he moved to Helsinki, where he designed his own house, which
is today Alvar Aalto’s seat of the foundation ( Alvar Aallon Säätiö ).
He restored the Finnish pavilions of various exhibitions in Europe and
in 1940 was invited to teach in Massachusetts in Cambridge at the
prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In 1949 he became a widower and married Elissa Mäkiniemi. Since then he began
to work outside of Finland, especially in Germany and Italy.
In 1957 he received the gold medal from the Royal Institute of British architects
and a degree from the Politecnico in Milan.
In 1976 Aalto completed his latest work, the University of the Design of Reykjavik,
Iceland. He died in Helsinki in 1976.
He was also a painter and sculptor.
One of his most important works is the "Vaso
Savoy“, whose shapes and curves refer to the
Finnish countryside and its lakes. Aalto is
considered one of the greatest exponents of
Nordic modernism. Actually he moves away
from rationalism inserting asymmetrical ,
curved walls or round shapes. In fact his last
name in Finnish means " wave".
ALVAR AALTO'S WORKS:
Some of the main works are :
-the House of the People in Jyväskylä
-the Viipuri Library
-the theater of Torku
-the Sanatorium of Paimio.
Since he moved to Massachusetts, after
the Construction of the Student House
(Baker House) he dedicated himself to
working on long term projects such as
the current area Polytechnic University
of Espoo.
Finally the major works abroad are
located in Germany, Italy and
Denmark. In Germany Aalto designed
the Cultural Centre in Wolfsburg and
the Opera of Essen; in Italy the Riola
church in Bologna; The Nordic House
in Reykjavik and the Art Museum in
Aalborg, Denmark.
TRAVELLING TRIPS
The spread of tuberculosis in Finland between the wars led to the construction of a number of sanatoria throughout the country. Paimio was chosen as the location for the sanatorium and there was a competition for its design, whichwas resolved at the end of January1929.
Alvar Aalto took part in the competition using a drawing of a window as a pseudonym.
Aalto's proposal was placedfirst out of the 13 entries thatwere submitted.
THE STORY
In Aalto's entry for this
competition, the buildings were
grouped in a Neo-Classical
manner with sun balconies
representing a more modern
architectural approach. Lying in
the sun on a balcony was part
of the treatment for
tuberculosis so that balconies
like these were an essential part
of sanatorium architecture.
FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION:
The design of Paimio is based firmly on new architecture
In its final form - Aalto increased the floor to floor height in the patients'
wing after the competition - Paimio Sanatorium rose above the pines to
become a dominant feature in the ancient cultural landscape.
A-wing: the patients' wing with the sun balconies, the most
important architectonic element, facing south.
B-wing contains: the communal spaces, treatment rooms, dining
hall, library and common rooms.
C-wing contains: the laundry room area, kitchens and staff
accommodation.
D-wing contains: the boiler room and heating plant. Circulation
centres on the main entrance hall between A-wing and B-wing and
the stairwell linked to it, which together give access to the other
wings of the building.
For the first time, Aalto used flowing plastic forms as a fixed
part of the building, on the roof terrace of the Sanatorium.
TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT:
The idea of continuity andmovement is crystallised in theplastic form of the entrancecanopy at Paimio Sanatorium.This idea links the symmetricalentrance court to the sun canopiesof A-wing and the cylinder-shapedchimney of the boiler house,giving the overall composition aharmonious form.
Alvar Aalto on the roof of Paimio, 1932
ALVAR AALTO’S THOUGHT:
The rooms in the patients' wing are arranged on the north side of the corridor. By
siting the rooms on one side only, Aalto was able to bring natural light into the
corridor and give the patients the feeling that they were in control of the space.
In the public spaces, the colour scheme of the Sanatorium is convergent with the neo-
plastic art of the twenties and thirties: blue, yellow, grey and white. It creates a fresh and
cheerful yet peaceful atmosphere.
The roof terrace on the patients' wing was used for
treatment in summer and winter alike. Tuberculosis was
treated with fresh air, so sunbeds suitable for outdoor use
were necessary.
For Aalto, functionalism was also a moral issue, about voiced this opinion during
the Stockholm architecture exhibition in 1930.