Alvar Aalto [Hardcover]

Rakennustieto Publishing (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2009

To Alvar Aalto life, art, architecture, and creativity were inseparable from everyday work. When developing ideas or researching a design challenge he moved as easily in the world of natural sciences as he did in the world of art. This remarkable book celebrates the 1998 centenary of Alvar Aalto's birth. It is not the most comprehensive book on his work, but it is without question the most sumptuous and poetic. 23 projects from different decades are featured, ranging from private houses to public buildings. The text, written by Marku Lahtti, director of the Alvar Alto Museum, intelligently complements the photographic genius of Maija Holma, whose bold images capture the finest details of Aalto's structures and interiors.

Works include Finland Hall, Helsinki; Art Museum, Aalborg, Denmark; Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki; House of Culture, Helsinki; Villa Mairea, Noormarkku; and Aalto's own house in Helsinki.

Alvar Aalto - A Gentler Structure for Life is a visual feast and features three four-page foldouts.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: Finnish, English, German, Italian

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Rakennustieto Publishing (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9516824757
• ISBN-13: 978-9516824751
• Product Dimensions: 13.6 x 9.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,733,174 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars aalto ; frozen music, June 23, 2000

By 

Matthew S. (Cincinnati, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alvar Aalto (Hardcover)

Lahtti and Holma's new book on Alvar Aalto is an splendid pictorial display of the power of Aalto's work.Having had the honor of touring the majority of buildings depicted in this book, I was amazed at how closely this book portrays my memory of the spiritual power of these buildings. The book covers each building from its overall scale down to the beautiful, human details that make Aalto's work so special. This book is a must for any fan of Alvar Aalto or Scandinavian Design.

1.0 out of 5 stars Gently Disappointing, September 17, 2009

By 

Wintermutt "Red House Design" (Vancouver, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alvar Aalto (Hardcover)

I had high hopes for this one. It's a beautifully put-together book, with a lovely cover. However, one mustn't judge a book by it's cover. The essay here is a very basic biographical sketch - and that's it. There is really nothing to it - no analysis whatsoever. The photos, while nicely composed, never give an overall picture of the project discussed. There are very few plans or other drawings.

Overall this is not a very good book if you want to find out about Aalto. It's of even less value if you already know Aalto and want a deeper understanding.

There are many good books about Aalto, this is not one of them.