MADHAV INSTITUTE OF

TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE

PRESENTATION ON

ARCHITECT

ALVAR AALTO
SUBMITTED TO:
PROF.
SUDHEER SINGH
SIKARWAR

SUBMITTED BY:
PRAGYA SINGH
AISHWARYA
CHAUHAN
II nd YR. IV SEM

Biography:
-BORN IN 1898 IN FINLAND
-STUDIED ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI
-GOT INSPIRED BY CULTURE OF
MEDITERANNEAN
-STARTED ARTEK COMPANY WITH WIFE
ANIO IN 1935
-ALVAR AALTO IS KNOWN AS THE FATHER
OF BENTWOOD FURNITURE.

Biography:
-AALTOS FURNITURE IS BLEND OF FORM
AND SCUPTRAL DESIGN AND USE OF
WOOD CAREFULLY
-IN 1930 AALTO INVENTED NEW METHODS
FOR BENDING WOOD AND SLICING WHICH
HELPED HIM MAKING ORGANIC FORMS
-HIS CONTEMPORARY FURNITURE HAS
LONGEVITY AND GRACEFUL AGEING
-HIS GLASSWARE IS ALSO FAMOUS
-MOST OF HIS DESIGNS ARE DYNAMIC

Design philosophies:
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.

Some building
examples by alvar
aalto

1.WORKERS CLUB
(1924)

WORKERS CLUB:
ARCHITECTURAL SYLE: Nordic Classical
FEATURES:
Discontinuous glazing on all
four sides at entrance level.
This building houses a restaurant and a coffee bar which supports the auditorium above.
He employs various classical
devices:
1. Circular atrium
2. Doric columns
3. Palladian window
4. Cartouches to decorate
the stuccoes wall

WORKERS CLUB:
GROUND
FLOOR
PLAN

A.
B.

FIRST
FLOOR
PLAN
C.

A.

B.

C.

WORKERS CLUB:

D.

SECOND FLOOR PLAN

D.

Implied Symmetry on the

longer elevation but its
symmetrical on the shorter
sides.
The elements of the building
are either squares or multiple
of squares.
The Palladian window is
symmetrically placed relative
to the auditorium.
Vernacular timber detailing for
the stairs

SECTION AA

2.PAIMIO
SANATORIUM
(1929-33)

PAIMIO SANATORIUM:
ARCHITECTURAL SYLE:
Functionalism
FEATURES:
Uses RCC frame with infill being an
insulating brick cavity wall which
is then rendered an painted white.

Sun trapped balconies are

cantilevered from the
tapering RCC frame.

Exposed lift shaft on the

external wall.

Free form cantilevered

canopy.

PAIMIO SANATORIUM:
Orientation: south of
the balconies and the
roof top sundeck was
determined by the
dedication to the
supposed healing
powers of the sun.
West: doctors houses;
North : staff flats.
Plan was meant to be
functionally zoned and
biodynamical aligned
to the compass so that
the direction of each
wing was defined
according to its
requirements for
sunshine and view.

SITE PLAN

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

PAIMIO SANATORIUM:
A continuous sundeck that
runs over the patient wing is
protected with RCC canopy
to reduce solar gain.
Dining room was an enclosed
mezzanine suspended from
steel hangers form above.
It had a lot of natural
light due to doubleheight windows, the sun
blinds outside
prevented glare.
Main staircase has natural
light which is further
enhanced by the yellow
color of the stairs.

PAIMIO SANATORIUM:
Each patient had their own
wall mounted cupboard
and basin.
Door handles designed to
prevent coat sleeves from
being caught in them.
Designed lamps that were
placed out of the patients
line of vision.

3.villa
Mairea (1924)

Villa mairea:
ARCHITECTURAL SYLE:
Modernism
FEATURES:
exterior
The courtyard of the villa
was inspired by the
organization of
vernacular farmstead.
The massing was inspired by
the falling waters by Frank
Lloyd Wright.

Villa mairea:

The interiors follow the grid

of 2850 x 2850 m

A Dining room
B Sauna
C Living room
D- Library
E - Studio
F - Staff
G - Kitchen
H- Restroom
I children play area
J Guest wing
K Childrens room
L - Master bedroom

Ground floor plan

First floor plan

Villa mairea:

Teak clad living room projects

forward to create shallow
balconies that lead on to the
principle bedroom above.

Bedroom windows project out

at an angle to address the line
of approach to the house
through the forest.
The main entrance to the
the door is approached under
a two level canopy supported
by compound timber column
and screened by miniature
forest of poles.
Sculpturally elaborate
fireplace
forms a strong
visual and symbolic focus.
Rattan wrapped columns
continue to evoke the
Finnish forest.

Villa mairea:
Main staircase inspired by
Japanese bamboo screens.
To enter this inner sanctum,
columns are made to
resemble tree trunks are
located at certain points to
create the impression
similar to that of emerging
through the fringes of a
forest clearing.
Screening by vertical
poles help to differentiate
the interlinked spaces.

Alvar aaltos furniture design:

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.
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.

chairs

Paimio chair-1932

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 Aaltos
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.

chairs
CANTILEVER 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.
This chair is an icon in plywood design history.
The frame was revolutionary. It marked the first use of
laminated wood in a cantilevered structure. Same as
the lounge chair nr 41 this chair was designed for the
Paimio Sanatorium.
(65*61*75)C.M. ARE ITS DIMENSIONS AND SEAT HEIGHT
IS 36 C.M.

stools
STACKING STOOL

The stacking stool - this was made up of only four

wooden parts, three Aalto Legs and a round seat and
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.
The legs were varnished natural Birch timber and the
seats were made from natural Birch timber, primary
and white laminates.

vases
SAVOY VASE

Alvar Aaltos Savoy vase is one of the most Alvar

Aaltos Savoy vase is one of the most famous vases in
history.
Designed in 1936 for a competition at the Paris
Worlds Fair famousvasesinhistory.
Designed in 1936 for a competition at the Paris
Worlds Fair.
Every Aalto vase is still crafted by its original mouthblown process by Finlands most skilled glassblowers
at iittala.
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

OTHER FURNITURES BY ALVAR AALTO:

Artek Alvar Aalto

900 - Tea Cart

Umbrella
Stand

Room Divider Screen Alvar Aalto

Mirror

OTHER FURNITURES BY ALVAR AALTO:

Artek Alvar Aalto Daybed

Clothes Tree

Artek Alvar Aalto

Benches

Alto Wall
Shelves

THANKS