Jari Jetsonen

Alvar Aalto houses

Aalto's libraries have served various needs. Some of them are public libraries, such as those in Seinäjoki, Rovaniemi and Wolfsburg. The libraries at the University of Jyväskylä, Helsinki University of Technology and the Mount Angel monastery are scholarly libraries. The libraries in private houses such as Villa Mairea and Maison Carré, offered a tranquil work space. The book also describes the changes in use that the libraries have undergone.0In the libraries it was important to create spaces for different kinds of functions and users. In some of them Aalto arranged the functional differences by means of combinations of fan shapes for the main library spaces together with a strict rectangularity for the work rooms. Side by side one encounters visibility and openness and, on the other hand, also sheltered and tranquil places to sit and read. Both natural and artificial light fulfil their respective purposes. Skylights and clerestory windows bring natural light into the core of even deep building frames. Natural light creates a strong positive ambience in the reading and lending halls. The individual lamps on the reading tables in turn create enchanted circles of light.0Aalto felt a particular affinity for designing libraries. He himself was interested in literature and reading. Nowadays almost half of all Finns are regular users of libraries, the functions of which, however, have changed and continue to change ? in addition to books, many other services have become integral parts of the libraries.

Alvar Aalto Libraries. The Realm of Knowledge Immersed in Natural Light

Alvar Aalto Churches

Alvar Aalto

Markku Lahti

During the course of a career spanning over 50 years, Alvar Aalto designed nearly 100 single-family houses. Many of them are architectural gems, where his thoughts about dwelling and architecture come together. Aalto considered experimental building to be very important: in his opinion, there should always be an opportunity for experimentation in every project, for it is only in that way that architecture can be promoted and quality improved for the good of the 'little man'. It was specifically in the designing of single-family houses that Aalto could realize new ideas. Aalto's single-family houses can be divided into three groups: houses for individuals, the client of which was nearly always a relative or friend; houses designed for industrial institutions or other communities; and type- or standard houses. All the houses presented in Alvar Aalto Houses were originally designed for private clients. The book presents eight single-family houses by Aalto from 1920s to the end of the 1960s, built in Finland, Estonia and France. Book jacket.

Alvar Aalto Houses

Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen

Alvar Aalto was concerned about the social aspect in all building. This was particularly evident in his residential architecture: and this already early in his career involved creating innovative solutions. One such innovation was a stair-less house type, closely set on ground level, and where the advantages of both multistorey housing and the immediate connection to nature are brought together. At the same time, he developed in his apartment block and student dormitory designs a balance between communal and private spaces, what one could call the "city and the streets" inside the building. Alvar Aalto Apartments opens views into Aalto's ideals about dwelling. The internal organisation of an apartment, the relationship of the home to the outside world, the movement from one space to another and the "city on the hill" were all issues of importance in Aalto's deliberations, as he tried to solve the problematics of dwelling. The book presents ten apartment blocks and two student dormitories by Aalto built in Finland, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and the United States, from the 1920s to the end of the 1960s.

Alvar Aalto Apartments

Jetsonen Sirkkaliisa

Summer is when Finland is at its spellbinding best. Emerging from a seven-month long winter, Finns head outdoors to savor the magical light of the all-too-brief Scandinavian summer. Cityscapes give way to pristine lakes, endless forests, and idyllic seaside vistas. The Finnish summer house offers a unique opportunity for their owners to relax, get back intouch with nature, and enjoy outdoor activities such as boating, swimming, and hiking. Not surprisingly, the architecture of the Finnish summer house occupies an almost mythic, even mystical, place in the hearts of their inhabitants as well as their architects. Indeed, many Finnish architects regard the design of their own summer residence or weekend studio as one of their most important works. For them, the summer house is not only a place to spend leisure time, but also a chance to study specific technical details and experiment with new spatial concepts. Finnish Summer Houses presents in detail twenty villas, cottages, and cabins by architects such as Eliel Saarinen, Oiva Kallio, Alvar Aalto, and Juhani Pallasmaa, among many others. Authors Jari and Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen use contemporary photographs, archival images, drawings, and plans to illustrate the diversity found in the designs of Finnish summer residences. From Lars Sonck's Lasses Villa (1895), with its traditional farmhouse elements, and Alvar Aalto's Muuratsalo Experimental House (195254) to Erkki Kairamo's sparse Villa Aulikki (19952003), which seems to grow out of its landscape, the works in this book are of a highly personal nature; indeed, most of the summer houses are still used by the architect or the families of their children. The very best examples of these fantastic summer homes are collected here, making Finnish Summer Houses an inspiration for anyone dreaming about a summer home of their own.

Jari Jetsonen

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