Alvar Aalto Nicholas Ray

The pre-eminent Finnish architect Alvar Aalto (1898 - 1976) developed in the post-war years an architectural language all of his own, characterised by curved walls, single-pitched roofs and inventive combinations of wood and brick. He was also engaged in design at all scales, from the planning of cities, including Helsinki, to the design of furniture and glassware. In this book Nicholas Ray provides a brief but comprehensive look at Aalto's life, works and theory and his relevance for the twenty-first century. The first section of the book offers an account of Aalto's life, including his friendships with such twentieth-century masters as Gropius, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright. The second section looks closely at six of Aalto's most important buildings, among them Baker House in Boston and the concert hall in Helsinki. In the final sections of the book, Ray examines several general themes relating to Aalto's work and philosophy. He also offers an original and provocative view of Aalto's theory, arguing that the architect's position consistently opposed that of his contemporaries and indeed that of most architects to this day.

Nicholas Ray is fellow and director of Studies in Architecture, Jesus College, Cambridge, and a practising architect.