Alvar Aalto (b. 1898, d. 1976) was a famous Finnish architect as well as furniture designer. Despite his attempts, he never found success in his career in Helsinki after his graduation in 1921. He moved and founded an office in a small town. He later died in Helsinki in 1976.

He hired, as an assistant, a young female glass and furniture designer who later became his wife. Aino and Alvar had two children. Alvar Aalto worked in Finland designing several famous landmarks in 1920's and 1930's. He was a professor at MIT in the late 1940's. His most famous furniture includes various table designs and his lamps are also highly regarded.

Alvar and Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen as well as Nils-Gustav Hahl established a business to craft furnishings. Alvar came up with the design for many timeless Aalto furnishings which include tables, desks, occasional chairs, loungers, foot stools, arm chairs and kid's furnishings. Alvar styled his first light fixture when he was a pupil at the college of technology in Helsinki where he was awarded first place in a lighting contest in 1920. The surname Aalto is yet greatly recognized in the realm of light fixtures as he styled many various timeless lamp designs which are regarded as contemporary these days as when they were first introduced.

Before he even graduated, Alvar Aalto began designing his first furniture. Once in his new architecture office, he received a huge order to design furniture for six churches in Finland. He designed the well known Paimio Sanatorium in 1929. He also designed each piece of furniture in the structure, as well as the lamps. For each structure he designed, he also designed custom "Aalto tables (Aalto bord)" and other furniture for it.

At this time he started to patent his methods for bending wood and he was awarded several patents in many countries for this new form of laminated bent-plywood furniture. The Alvar Aalto 901 tea cart is famous for this bent wood construction along with various chairs and Aalto tables. Together with other famous designers such as Bruno Mathsson and Yngve Ekstrom, Aalto became renowned for this style of furniture design which contributed greatly to the concept of "Scandinavian Modern" design.

The Father of Modernism in the Nordic countries, Alvar Aalto referred to his style as "Organic Functionalism". He has left a significant impact on the furniture design and architecture fields. He and his wife also designed some well known glassware, including the Aalto Vase. The final compliment he received was the introduction of the Alvar Aalto Medal by the Museum of Finnish Architecture and the Finnish Association of Architects. This medal is granted for important contributions to creative architects.

To get your own copy of this article for publishing to your website please visit http://www.contentspooling.net/public.php?id=164&a=2327.

Alvar Aalto's stamp on the world was not limited to furniture (möbler) design; he is remembered as much for his lamp models that have endured for over 80 years as for his classic tables, chairs, and children's furniture. Once in his new architecture office, he received a huge order to design his Aalto furniture for six churches in Finland. He designed the well known Paimio Sanatorium in 1929. He also designed each piece of furniture for the interior (inredning) of the structure, as well as the Aalto lamp. For many structures he designed, he also designed custom furniture for it.