Alvar Aalto: The Father Of Modernism

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Alvar Aalto was born in Kuortane, Finland in 1908, and he lived until 1976. He was a renowned Finnish architect and designer of furniture. His studies led him to architectural school in Helskini, where he graduated in 1921. However, his career did not begin well in Helskini, and so he moved on to a smaller town to start an office and begin his career.

To assist him, Alvar employed a young woman who designed glass and furniture and whom he later married. There were two children from this marriage. Aalto continued his design career in Finland, and created a number of renowned landmarks in the 20's and 30's. In the latter part of the 1940's, he taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Among his most renowned furniture (finska möbler) items are his highly esteemed tables and lighting fixtures.

Alvar Aalto, Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen and Nils-Gustav Hahl founded a company named Artek to design furniture. Alvar Aalto designed several classic Aalto furniture including tables, desks, side chairs, lounge chairs, stools, armchairs and children's furniture. Alvar Aalto designed his first lamps as a student in the university of technology in Helsinki where he won a lighting competition in 1920. The name Aalto is still highly regarded in the world of lighting and lamps as he designed several classic lamp models that are considered as modern today as when he designed them.

Alvar styled his first furnishings even prior to graduation. His innovative structural design office received a large contract for the design creation of furnishings for 6 houses of worship in Finland. In 1929 he styled the well-known Paimio Sanatorium in addition to all the furnishings and light fixtures for it. He styled tailor-made "Aalto tables" as well as additional furnishings for many of his structures.

Alvar Aalto was a very talented person. He designed his first furniture when he was in college only. He opened his office and was able to bag an order to design furniture for six churches of Finland. Widely known Paimio Sanatorium including its furniture and lamps was also designed by him. He designed particular table that became popular as Aalto tables. He designed complete furniture of all his office buildings.

Alvar Aalto called his style "Organic Functionalism" and as the Father of Modernism in the nordic countries has left a significant mark on the worlds of furniture design and architecture. He and his wife also had some famous glassware designs such as the aptly named Aalto Vase (Aalto vas). Perhaps his final honor was the creation of the Alvar Aalto Medal by the Museum of Finnish Architecture and the Finnish Association of Architects which is awarded for significant contributions to creative architecture.

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About the Author:
Alvar Aalto's stamp on the world was not limited to furniture (möbler) design; he is remembered as much for his lamp models that have endured for over 80 years as for his classic tables, chairs, and children's furniture. Once in his new architecture office, he received a huge order to design his Aalto furniture for six churches in Finland.



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