Hardcover 21x26cm 96 pages Aalto - Taschen

Discover the softer side plus of architectural modernism in this introduction to the work of Alvar Aalto, the man who defied the modernist norm to prioritize soft, poetic, undulating forms, imbued with a sense of social compassion and national identity.

Lyrical forms from Finland

Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) left his mark unique on modernism. Influenced à la by both the landscape and the political independence of his native Finland, he imagined warm, curved and empathetic buildings that stand in stark contrast to the smooth, mechanical and geometric creations of most of his European contemporaries.

Whether a church, a villa, a sauna or a public library, Aalto's organic structures tended to replace plaster and steel with brick and wood, often incorporating undulating forms, such as the swell, which also appear in his furniture, glassware and lighting.

Attentive to detail, Aalto insisted on the humanity and societal role of architecture: "Modern architecture does not require the use of new, immature materials; the main thing is to work with materials that promote a human plus line. " Many of his public buildings, such as the Säynätsalo town hall, the Otaniemi Technical University conference center, the National Pensions Institute in Helsinki and the Helsinki House of Culture, are psychological as well as physical landmarks of a Finland rebuilding after the ravages of war.

This book brings together Aalto's key works to present the architect regarded as the champion of an ecologically sound and progressive design , with a profound sense of home.