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ALVAR AALTO Sofia Boschetti Giorgia Zini Liceo Artistico A. Venturi 5H Architettura e Ambiente

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ALVAR AALTO

Sofia Boschetti – Giorgia Zini

Liceo Artistico A. Venturi

5H – Architettura e Ambiente

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

PAIMIO SANATORIUM

ALVAR AALTO

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.

QUESTIONS:

1) When and where was Aalto born and

what his parents done? Where and when

did he receive the gold medal?

2) Where is Sanatorium of Paimio situated?

What are the technical equipments?

3) Alvar Aalto wasn't also an architect, What

was he also? Write an example of Aalto's

sculpture works.