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| Villa Mairea, Alvar Aalto, taken from Archdaily.com |
Last week we saw the anniversary of Finnish Architect, Alvar Aalto. As one of the key figures of mid-century Modernism, we all know and appreciate much of his work. It was the Villa Mairea I first came across in my earliest years of architectural study. Aalto's use of materials, understanding of form, spatial awareness and also the way in which he responds to the site are all important things to take away from his key projects.
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Aalto has softened the boundary between what is built and what is natural, there is an overlap
between the man-made building and its surrounding natural landscape. Image taken from Archdaily.com |
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| The details are works of art in themselves, Image taken from Archdaily.com |
Aalto's portfolio of work resonates a strong sense of sensitivity towards organic forms and the incorporation of natural materials. In contrast to this however, I was surprised to learn of Aalto's extraordinary relationship with brick, whilst reading Phaidon's "Brick", written by Dan Cruickshank and William Hall. I was particularly intrigued by the Experimental House, Finland, 1952-1954.
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| The Experimental House, image taken from mlmarquitectos.com |
The name of this project is as literal as it's function. Aalto used this house as a test for performance of bricks in a harsh environment, with varying joints, bonds and finishing. His use of brick is unusual and exciting, it breathes life into an everyday material in a way we have not seen before. The rich colour of the brick sets itself apart from its deep green surroundings and the material itself flows down the wall and across the ground.
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| A red brick opening in the woodland, the Experimental House, mlmarquitectos.com |
Aalto was a craftsman with a strong sense of design, he also dabbled with art, textiles, light fittings and furniture design. He designed a number of public buildings and his use of materials is particularly playful in some of the interiors he created.
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| A series of waves floating above the space, Viipuri City Library, Russia, 1933-1935 |
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| Council Chamber, Saynatsalo Town Hall, Finland, 1949-1952, Image from Archdaily.com |
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| Riola Parish Church, Grizzana, Italy, Image taken from Archdaily.com |
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| And to finish I just had to share one of Aalto's extraordinary chairs! Image taken from design-technology.org |
I hope I have brought some architectural delight to your day and you have enjoyed this post! I'll try to keep them coming! Thanks for reading.
