AALTO, ALVAR

born Feb. 3, 1898, Kuortane, Fin., Russian Empire died May 11, 1976, Helsinki in full Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto Finnish architect, city planner, and furniture designer whose international reputation rests on a distinctive blend of modernist refinement, indigenous materials, and personal expression in form and detail. His mature style is epitomized by the Syntsalo, Fin., town hall group (1950-52). Additional reading A definitive review of Aalto's work, extremely well illustrated with photographs and plans, is the two-volume work edited by Karl Fleig: Alvar Aalto (1963) and Alvar Aalto 1963-1970 (1971). A brief essay by Farederick Gutheim, Alvar Aalto (1960), contains descriptive and critical comments as well as many photographs. A similar book is George Baird, Alvar Aalto (1970). A substantial chapter on Aalto appears in Sigfried Giedion, Space, Time and Architecture, 5th ed. rev. (1967), and is an excellent critical treatment of Aalto's architecture. No purely biographical work exists. Major Works: Turun Sanomat Building, Turku, Fin. (1930); Municipal Library at Viipuri, now Vyborg, Russia (1930-35); Sulfate Paper Mill at Toppila, Fin. (1931); Sanatorium at Paimio, Fin. (1933); cellulose factory at Sunila, Kotka, Fin. (1936-39; extended 1951-54); Villa Mairea (Gullichsen House) near Noormarkku, Fin. (1938-39); sawmill at Varkaus, Fin. (1945); Baker House (student dormitory), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., U.S. (1947-48); town hall group, Syntsalo, Fin. (1950-52); House of Culture, Helsinki, Fin. (1955-58); house for Louis Carr, Bazoches, France (1956-58); church at Vuoksenniska, Imatra, Fin. (1956-58); Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum, lborg, Den. (1958-72); post and telegraph office, Baghdad, Iraq (1958); Community Centre, Wolfsburg, Ger. (1959-62); Community Centre, Seinjoki, Fin. (1962; theatre added, 1967); Edgar J. Kaufmann Conference Rooms, Institute of International Education, New York City (1964-65); Mount Angel Abbey Library, near Salem, Ore., U.S. (1967-70); Finlandia Hall, Helsinki (1971, enlarged 1974); Taidemuseo, Jyvskyl, Fin. (1973, later called the Alvar Aalto Museum).