Alvar Aalto (1898-1976)
Alvar Aalto was born in Kuortane, Finland. Aalto studied at the Jyväskylä Lyceum school, completing his basic education in 1916. In 1916 he then enrolled to study architecture at the Helsinki University of Technology, graduating in 1921. In 1923 he returned to Jyväskylä, where he opened his first architectural office.
Alvar Aalto is the most important and most famous Finnish architect. His first works were done during 1920's and they represented classicism. After these he was influenced by Bauhaus and Le Corbusier and this was seen in his next works; Turun Sanomat newspaper plant and offices (Turku, 1930), Tuberculosis sanatorium (Paimio, 1933) and Municipal library (Viipuri, 1935).
After World War II Aalto was one of the leading architects in Finland and worked abroad, too (for example MIT seniors dormitory, 1949 in USA and Maison Carre, 1959 in France).
Chairs and tables made from bent plywood and manufactured by Artek are famous around the world.