Aalto Studio Commentary

Discussion Aalto Studio Commentary

"Situated on a corner site in one of the suburbs of Helsinki, Aalto's office resembles more a villa than the conventional image of an architect's working space. This impression is deepened by the 'garden side', where Aalto formalizes the contours to create a space which spatially and formally resembles an amphitheatre..."

-David Dunster, Ed., Architectural Monographs 4, "Alvar Aalto" p68.

"Because of the thoroughly collegial relationship between Aalto and his associates, all academically trained architects, this office has been designed 'as if for a family'. . . The office consists of two large drafting rooms each with its own recepti 14514o1418o on areas, archives and conference rooms. Neither of the two drafting rooms has special rooms or predominance over the other. They therefore can be used interchangeably for larger or smaller projects. The building has no windows on the street side and is very well insulated from exterior disturbances. For this reason it opens onto a garden surrounded by an open amphitheater- available to all associates for lectures, good fellowship and recreation."

-Karl Fleig, ed. Alvar Aalto. Scarsdale, N.Y.: Wittenborn and Company, 1963. p246.

The Creator's Words

"An architect's studio should provide both peace and quiet for the individual and the possibility of group work. This is the key to the general character of the building. Turning its back on the street in almost Oriental fashion, it opens instead onto an intimate inner garden which rises, amphitheatre-like, and thus can also serve as an auditorium."

Alvar Aalto, Arkkiehti no. 12, 1959.

Discussion Academic Bookshop Commentary

"Externally the building is a relatively straightforward copper-clad curtain wall. The brighter character of the Pohjois-Esplanadi is recognised by lining the window frames with strips of white marble. The two entrances off either street converge under an array of light fittings, from which leads the three-storey space of the bookshop tucked in behind other buildings. Three crystalline rooflights bring light into this volume, and indeed appear to have embedded themselves in the roof. The vertically striped balustrades of white marble seem to attenuate the height of the space and dominate the colourful display of books."

-David Dunster, ed. Architectural Monographs 4: Alvar Aalto. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1984. p63.

Baker House

Designed by Alvar Alto and built in 1949, this six-story brick dormitory building is distinguished by its curvilinear plan, "moon garden," and roof deck--which offers panoramic views of the Boston skyline. As part of a feasibility study, BCA has surveyed the interior and exterior building fabric of Baker House, assessed its existing conditions, and recommended conservation treatments.

Otaniemi Technical University Commentary

"The focal point of this university centre is the auditorium building with two large halls (also intended for congresses). Its staircase-like ascending rows of windows suggest from the outside and amphitheatre. All tuition rooms are in adjacent buildings grouped about small internal courts, and here are also found the smaller lecture-rooms, laboratories and professors' rooms. The centre is divided into three principal departments: general, geodetic and architectural. The chief materials are dark red brick, black granite and copper."

-Egon Tempel. New Finnish Architecture. New York, Washington: Frederick A. Praeger, 1968. p125.

Details

primary materials are dark red brick, black granite and copper

Otaniemi Technical University Library Commentary

"The library building, which is closely related to the other main buildings of the Institute, is situated parallel to an old avenue which had formerly led to the centre of a large estate, and it forms one side of a large park."

-Karl Fleig. Alvar Aalto. p109.

"The library closes off at an oblique angle the third side of the park/court established by the main buildings of the Institute of Technology, begun twenty-two years previously. As a major reference library, the main problem was to provide good working conditions for the students over a three-storey basement for the library stacks. These spaces, and the small lending collection are housed in a faceted volume on the side, away from the main buildings. In the rectilinear tail of the building, offices and seminar rooms are provided."

-David Dunster, ed. Architectural Monographs 4: Alvar Aalto. p48.

Details

The library was designed in 1964 and built 1965 to 1969.

Discussion Saynatsalo Town Hall Commentary

"It is intimate and idiosyncratic, with an unusual layout directly responsive to the genius loci. The various buildings forming the group-municipal offices, council chamber, library and officials' residences-are planned round a courtyard which is artificially raised above the surrounding wooded countryside by using the material excavated for the buildings' foundations. Gaps between the buildings allow access to the courtyard, from which all the buildings are entered, up flights of steps, and also allow views towards distant lakes and the penetration of the low northern sun. Materials are dark red brick, wood and copper, and the abruptly varied roof shapes, seen through closely planted trees, cause the whole group to be absorbed into the rugged landscape and to appear as a romantic intensification of the scene in which it is set down."

-J.M. Richards. 800 Years of Finnish Architecture. Vancouver: David and Charles, 1978. p154.

Details

Built in 1950-1952 following a competition held in 1949 for a one-industry town founded by the Enzo-Gutzeit <https://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Enso-Gutzeit_Headquarters.html> wood-products company.

-from J.M. Richards. 800 Years of Finnish Architecture. Vancouver: David and Charles, 1978.

Aalto Summer House Commentary

"The summerhouse at Muuratsalo is not only a place to live and work but is also a sort of experimental house. It is located in the lake country of north-central Finland, one hour by motor boat from the nearest railroad station. Two wings of equal length set perpendicularly to each other, one containing the living area and the other the bedrooms, form a square court which is closed to the exterior by means of high walls. The exterior walls of this court are developed as mosaic-like experimental walls, divided into about fifty areas in which different types and sizes of brick and ceramic tile with different methods of jointing are used, so as to test their effect from both the aesthetic and practical standpoints. The lean-to roof rises steeply over the living area towards the west wall."

-Karl Fleig, ed. Alvar Aalto. Scarsdale, N.Y.: Wittenborn and Company, 1963. p200.