alvar aalto

alvar aalto was a finnish architect and designer who passed away in 1976. his work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware, as well as sculptures and paintings. after qualifying as an architect from helsinki institute of technology in 1921, aalto set up his first architectural practice in jyväskylä, finland. his early works followed the tenets of nordic classicism, the predominant style at that time. from the late 1930s onwards, the architectural expression of aalto's buildings became enriched by the use of organic forms, natural materials and increasing freedom in the handling of space. from the 1950s onwards, aalto's architectural practice was employed principally on the design of public buildings, such as säynätsalo town hall (1948-1952), the jyväskylä institute of pedagogics, now the university of jyväskylä (1951-1957), and the house of culture in helsinki (1952-1956).