E-Book Content
AT RICE UNIVERSITY DESIGNATES A SERIES OF REPORTS
ON THOUGHTS AND
INVESTIGATIONS
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE. BELIEF
IT
THAT
IS
PUBLISHED
THE
EDUCATION
ARCHITECTS CAN BEST IF
BE
THE
OF
ADVANCED
TEACHERS, STUDENTS, PRACTITION-
ERS,
IN
IN
AND
WHAT
INTERESTED
LAYMEN SHARE
THEY ARE THINKING AND
DOING.
No. 4
MARCH,
1962
ILLUSTR A TIONS Green
Gold'i*
Finnish Granite
-
Aalto's Office*
National Pension Housing, Munkkiniemi*
Teachers' College, Jyvaskyla* Seinajoki Church*
Keski-Suomen Museo, Jyvaskyla* House
of Culture, Helsinki*
Saynatsalo Entrance from Bus Stop* Stairs to Upper Court* Brick and Window Detail* Shopping Area* Stairway Detail* Section through Library and Courtyard** East Facade**
*
Photographs courtesy
of Scott D.
**
Photographs courtesy
of
Hamilton; Jr.
Praeger Publisher's, New York.
i
AALTO'S ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE While
many
architects in the United States are clutching in the vacuum of leadership left by the death of Frank Lloyd Wright, few have thought to look outside our country. Instead they speak of Minoru Yamasaki, Edward D. Stone, Paul Rudolph and until recently of the late Eero Saarinen. However, a group of Scandinavians comes the closest in assuming the spirit of Wright because of their search for an honest expression in natural materials. Aalto is the foremiost of this group of Finns, Norwegians and few Swedes. The rest of the world has gone mad with rational architecture of steel and glass boxes with endless repetitions of space cages, or they have gone to the other extreme by using silly chrome and tinsel twists and curves that are unrelated to the practical problems of the users.
Why
isolated Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto, a Master to understand Aalto, one must know the Finland he personifies, the national romantic movement from which he emerged, and the direction in which Finnish architecture is moving. His influence on the formation of "Scandinavian Modern, " its impact on the world of the early 30's, and his continued leadership make him a Master Architect. is this
Architect? First,
The explanation for Aalto' s work can be found in his devotion to little Finland, his position as its most honored citizen, his assumed obligations during peace and war, and his past, present, and future projects, and the laboratory conditions under which he creates. It also explains seas.
As
why
his greatest efforts are at
home rather
than o.or-
case of the other univer salists, Aalto tries to be the total artist. To him, each problem demands a unique solution. He has no dogmatic philosophy to trap his freedom of movement. Aalto feels free to explore, and he finds his form of truth in Architecture. Because of the high esteem, the Finnish architect has power and freedom in dealing with his clients. They usually come with limited budgets and give the architect complete freedom to solve their problems and deal with the miost practical solutions, and Aalto is a very practical man with details. He feels that no money should be spared on luxury items or mistakes in an economical society. If an architect wastes money, it is a scandal. in the
Aalto refuses to lecture, write books, attend congresses, to selfadvertise or court publicity. Because of this privacy, he has the
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peace and solitude to concentrate on Architecture itself, not the fringe benefits. His vital energies and time are d