Alvar Aalto: The Finnish Architect who took furniture design a little too seriously

Alvar Aalto was a Finnish architect, designer and all-around creative genius, known for his modernist take on design principles. But what many people don’t know is that Aalto was a man with a great sense of humor, especially when it came to furniture design.

Born in 1898 in Kuortane, Finland, Aalto graduated from the Helsinki University of Technology and went on to establish his own architectural firm. He is best known for his design of the Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, the Paimio Sanatorium, and the Viipuri Library. But what many people don’t know is that Aalto was also a prolific furniture designer, creating some of the most iconic and wacky pieces of furniture to have ever existed.

One such piece was the famous “Paimio Chair” designed for the tuberculosis sanatorium in the Finnish city of Paimio. The chair was designed to help patients breathe more easily and be more comfortable during their treatment. But Aalto took things a little too seriously and designed the chair to look like something straight out of a science fiction film. With its sleek curves and uncomfortable-looking angles, the Paimio Chair is considered by some to be one of the most uncomfortable chairs ever designed.

Did we mention that Aalto was also a master of the “curve”? He loved nothing more than curvilinear forms, which he used to great effect in his furniture designs. Take for example, his famous “Savoy Vase” which was designed in 1936 for the Savoy restaurant in Helsinki. The vase is made of glass and has a flowing, organic shape that has become a hallmark of Aalto’s design style. Or the “Armchair 42” which features an undulating backrest, and curves that defy the laws of physics.

But perhaps Aalto’s greatest joke was his “sketches”. Aalto loved to draw and would often doodle strange creatures and objects that looked like they were from another planet. But he didn’t stop there. He would often describe his sketches as actual designs and display them publicly. People would stare in awe and wonder, “What is that supposed to be?” Little did they know, Aalto was just having a laugh.

Alvar Aalto was a man ahead of his time, a designer with a great sense of humor and a love of curves. His legacy lives on today through his buildings, furniture, and his quirky sketches that still make us smile.