Alvar Aalto is universally acknowledged as one of the most important figures of twentieth century architecture. This major new volume accompanies the first UK retrospective of Aalto's work at the
Barbican, curated by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban.Aalto's career overlapped both chronologically and ideologically with those of Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe, but his commitment to a humanitarian ideal, inspired by nature, set him apart from his purist Modernist contemporaries. His beautiful buildings, including the Paimio Sanatorium, Villa Mairea, Jyvaskla Worker's Club, Church of the Three Crosses and Baker House Dormitory, with their curving facades, careful interaction of wood, concrete and brick, and innovative uses of emerging technologies, show the touch of a true master.
With contributions from Colin St John Wilson (architect of the British Library), Juhani Pallasmaa (Aalto specialist at the University of Technology, Helsinki), as well as an exclusive interview with Shigeru Ban, Alvar Aalto: Through the Eyes of Shigeru Ban offers a refreshing new take on Aalto's architecture and design. Added to this, three new translations of Aalto's own writings provide an insight into the workings of his mind, and the theoretical and philosophical discussions that he was engaging with in the 1920s and 30s.
Beautifully illustrated, Alvar Aalto: Through the Eyes of Shigeru Ban features stunning new images by photographer Judith Turner, whose abstract interpretation of Aalto's work brings out the poetry of his buildings, and shows them in a whole new light. Hitherto unseen archive images from the Aalto foundation are also published for the first time, making this a truly unique publication.
The environmental concerns of the twenty-first century mean that Aalto's legacies have become ever more apparent. This timely retrospective pays tribute to one of the great masters of architecture and is essential reading for architects, designers and anyone interested in the origins of contemporary architecture and culture.
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