Alvar Aalto [Paperback]

Richard Weston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 1997

Internationally renowned as one of the major achievements of modern architecture, the work of Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) was deeply rooted in the culture and the landscape of his native Finland. A Grand Duchy of Russia until the revolution of 1917, the newly independent state promoted architecture as a means of establishing its identity as a social democracy, and in Aalto found an architect with the ambition and talents to meet the challenge. Throughout a long and fertile career his work embraced almost all the key public institutions - town halls, libraries, theatres, churches, universities and government departments - as well as social housing and private dwellings. He brought to buildings of every type and scale a profound concern for the physical and psychological needs of their individual users, as well as sensitivity to natural sites and materials and to the experimental qualities of architecture. This monograph situates Alvar Aalto in the context of both international modernism and Finnish culture. It explores the key inspirations upon which the architect drew throughout his career, including the Finnish landscape and vernacular traditions, Italian domestic architecture and Greek site planning, as well as the work of architects such as Gunar Asplund and Le Corbusier. Included are investigations of key projects such as Paimio Sanatorium, the Villa Mairea, Saynatsalo Town Hall, Seinajoki Town Centre, Vuokkseniska Church, the Finlandia Concert Hall and the Congress Centre in Helsinki. The complete range of his work is examined in this text through a study of recurring themes - the dialogue between nature and culture, the reciprocity of the individual and the collective, building and place.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (November 9, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714837105
• ISBN-13: 978-0714837109
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,267,631 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Overview of Aalto's work., July 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Alvar Aalto (Paperback)

Clearly, as Weston testifies, there has been a need for a monograph on Aalto's architecture to compliment the supurb Aalto biographies by Schildt. However, despite the fine photographic reproductions and line drawings in this volume, the book clearly disappoints. Weston simply sees Aalto as a historical continuation of earlier Finnish architecture, but then fails to show why Aalto is so special, so different. Much space is given to saying something about nearly every Aalto building, and many of those never completed - some 300 completed buildings - but there is no critical edge to his comments, and no deep analysis. A good reference book, but nothing more.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Coffee-table book +, January 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Alvar Aalto (Paperback)

Undoubtedly this is a book of fine photographs and drawings. And for many architects and students that is more than enough. They want to be inspired, and to get a feeling for the material qualities of architecture. They indeed need few words. But Weston's book makes a claim to be more than that. It claims to be a historical monograph. But we get little sense of the strangeness, the Otherness, of Finnish culture. Aalto could more or less be designing anywhere. Reference to Finland is merely stereo-typical "nature". Aalto remains as elusive as ever.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful photographs, September 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Alvar Aalto (Paperback)

Beautiful photographs of Aalto's architecture. I don't think a monograph needs too many words. Weston provides the necessary dates and basic information, but luckilly keeps away from intellectualisations.