AD Classics: Stephanuskirche / Alvar Aalto
Stephanuskirche, translated to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Stephen, was designed by Alvar Aalto and completed in 1968. It is located in Wolfsburg, Germany, the same town that Aalto’s Wolfsburg Cultural Center was built. Stephanuskirche is among the prominent architectural testimonies of International Modernism in Germany.
Architecture City Guide: Beirut
Following a brutal 15-year civil war that tore the city apart, Beirut has recovered remarkably; it was voted the number one destination to visit by the New York Times in 2009, and, more recently, received a similar title by Frommer’s. The city is in the second phase of one of the biggest urban reconstruction projects in the world, run by Solidere, which has brought architects like Steven Holl, Herzog & DeMeuron, Zaha Hadid, Vincent James, and Rafael Moneo to the local scene. In less internationalized parts of the city sit the landmarks of the 1960s and 1970s, Beirut’s pre-war glory days, including buildings by names such as Alvar Aalto, Victor Gruen, and the Swiss Addor & Julliard. With a city growing as fast as Beirut it is impossible to have a final city guide, so we look forward to hearing your suggestions and building on this over the years.
Photos and a map of Beirut’s most exciting buildings after the break…
AD Classics: Maison Louis Carré / Alvar Aalto
In the commune of Bazoches-sur-Guyonnes, about 40 kilometers southwest of Paris, sits one of the most important private houses designed by Alvar Aalto: Maison Louis Carré. The client, Louis Carré, was a prominent French art dealer who was also very interested in architecture. He desired a house that would be able to accommodate many guests for art viewings, but also incorporated a private component. He commissioned Aalto to design his house in 1956, and Louis Carré and his wife, Olga, were able to move into their new home three years later.
Happy 115th Birthday Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto, born February 3,1898, would have turned 115 years old today. Known for his humanistic approach to modernism, Aalto was concerned about creating a total work of art. He did not simply design buildings but also paid close attention to their interior features including furniture, lamps, and glassware design.
His architectural style began with Nordic Classicism and moved to International Style Modernism, and eventually evolved into a more synthetic and personal Modernism. He was one of the first and most influential architects of the Scandinavian modern movement. Aalto remains one of the greatest names in modern architecture.
To celebrate Aalto’s birth, we invite you to look back at his impressive collection of works:
• AD Classics: Villa Mairea
• AD Classics: MIT Baker House Dormitory
• AD Classics: Jyvaskyla University
• AD Classics: Muuratsalo Experimental House
• AD Classics: Wolfsburg Cultural Center
AD Classics: Wolfsburg Cultural Center / Alvar Aalto
Wolfsburg Cultural Center, located approximately 230 kilometers west of Berlin in Wolfsburg, Germany, was constructed from 1959 to 1962. It was designed by Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto. Aalto was born in Kuortane, Finland and studied architecture at the Helsinki University of Technology, graduating in 1921.
Speakers Confirmed for “Crafted – The Ingredients of Architecture” Alvar Aalto Symposium
To be held August 10-12, the 12th international Alvar Aalto Symposium, entitled “CRAFTED – The Ingredients of Architecture”, will discuss how architecture can rise above the ordinary. The symposium will feature 14 top experts and thinkers in their fields, offering their takes on this year’s theme. The latest addition to the list of speakers is Mohsen Mostafavi, a renowned architect who is dean and professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.
Mohsen Mostafavi (US) will take the slot of Richard Sennett, whose appearance was cancelled earlier. In addition to Mostafavi, symposium speakers include Kjetil T. Thorsen, founding partner of Snøhetta, the agency responsible for the design of the Oslo Opera House and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina; architect Takaharu Tezuka; and Bjarne Mastenbroek, founder of the Amsterdam-based agency SeARCH. For more information about the event, please visit here.
12th International Alvar Aalto Symposium: ‘Crafted’ – The Ingredients of Architecture
The 12th International Alvar Aalto Symposium will be held in Jyväskylä Finland from August 10-12, 2012. With the theme of ‘Crafted’ – The Ingredients of Architecture’, the question arises: How does architecture rise above the ordinary? Organised by the Alvar Aalto Academy, the international Alvar Aalto Symposium aims to address the complex relationship between material, craft and culture, not simply as a matter of professional practice but also as a sociological and pedagogical imperative. More information on the event after the break.
AD Classics: Muuratsalo Experimental House / Alvar Aalto
Soon after the passing of his wife in 1949, Alto began the design for a summer getaway for himself on the western shore of island Muuratsalo, Finland. Through the process of designing the house, it became an experimental study of materiality, architecture construction and philosophies.
More on Alvar Aalto‘s Experimental House after the break.
Winners of ‘Alvar Aalto: The Mark of the Hand’, by Harry Charrington and Vezio Nava
A week ago we launched a giveaway for you to win 4 copies of Alvar Aalto: The Mark of the Hand, by Harry Charrington and Vezio Nava. Today, and after more than 300 comments, we have our 4 lucky winners!
- Jin Woo Shin
- Sam Khudairi
- Catherine Stelling
- David Thompson
Thanks everyone for participating, we will take your suggestions and try to publish most of them for our AD Classics section. And if you didn’t win, don’t worry.. .there’s more giveaways to come!
Giveaway: Win a copy of Alvar Aalto: The Mark of the Hand, by Harry Charrington and Vezio Nava
Great news everybody! Thanks to Rakennustieto Publishing we have 4 copies of Alvar Aalto: The Mark of the Hand, by Harry Charrington and Vezio Nava. To win one of the copies you must become a registered user in ArchDaily and answer the following question in the comments: Which Alvar Aalto project should be featured in our AD Classics section? We already have a few so check them out so you don’t repeat them:
- Riola Parish Church
- Jyvaskyla University
- Villa Mairea
- MIT Baker House Dormitory
Remember you have to comment as a registered user to participate! We’ll be announcing the winners next Tuesday. And don’t forget to follow us through Twitter and Facebook for more amazing giveaways. Good luck!
AD Classics: Jyvaskyla University / Alvar Aalto
After entering a general planning competition at the end of May 1951 for the Jyvaskyla Institute of Pedagogics, Alvar Aalto was immediately commissioned to begin working on the plans of each of the individual buildings that were to be added amidst existing complex. He was awarded first prize with his entry ‘Urbs’, which is reminiscent of some of his previous projects. The U pattern formed by the buildings frames the open center space, where a sports field is accessible by foot.
More on Jyvaskyla University by Alvar Aalto after the break.
‘Six Architects’ posters by Andrea Gallo
We saw this incredible set of posters from iconic architects created by artist Andrea Gallo and felt the need to share them with you. They will be available for sale soon, so we look forward to buy one and decorate our office! Which one would you get? Check the posters of Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Louis Kahn, Alvar Aalto and Walter Gropius after the break.
Architecture City Guide: Boston
For this week the Architecture City Guide series headed to the city of Boston including neighboring Cambridge just across the Charles River Basin. This area has an overwhelmingly large amount of modern architecture in a small radius, and our list reflects just that. What buildings do you want to see added to our Boston list, share them with us in the comment section below.
The Architecture City Guide: Boston list and corresponding map after the break!
AD Classics: Villa Mairea / Alvar Aalto
A collage of materials amongst the trunks of countless birch trees in the Finnish landscape, the Villa Mairea built by Alvar Aalto in 1939 is a significant dwelling that marks a transition from traditional to modern architecture. Built as a guest house and rural retreat for Harry and Maire Gullichsen, Aalto was given permission to experiment with his thoughts and styles, which becomes clear when studying the strangely cohesive residence.
More on Villa Mairea after the break.
AD Classics: MIT Baker House Dormitory / Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto designed the Baker House in 1946 while he was a professor at the Massachussets Institute of Technology, where the dormitory is located. It received its name in 1950, after the MIT’s Dean of Students Everett Moore Baker was killed in an airplane crash that year. The dormitory is a curving snake slithering on its site and reflects many of Aalto’s ideas of formal strategy, making it a dormitory that is both inhabited and studied by students from all over the world.
