Aino + Alvar Aalto: A Life Together

An intimate biography of one of the most influential design couples in the world.

Like Ray and Charles Eames or Florence and Hans Knoll, Aino and Alvar Aalto worked together as a couple, leaving a deep mark on the world of design. Their work comprised everything from architecture and interior design to lighting, furniture and product design, often as part of a single project. One of the world’s most influential design couples, the two Finnish architects and designers worked both together and separately, ultimately redefining modern architecture and design. Aino Aalto née Marsio (1894-1949) and Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) first met at the Helsinki University of Technology, where they were both studying architecture. Aino joined Alvar Aalto’s architecture firm in 1924. A few months later, the two married.

After traveling abroad to Europe in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the couple became familiar with Modernism and the International Style. They later collaborated closely on a series of renowned buildings, including the Vyborg Library, Villa Mairea and the Paimio Sanatorium; products like the famous Aalto vase, also known as the Savoy vase; and the Finnish Pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. In 1935, they established Artek, a furniture, lighting and home accessories brand that aimed to make daily life and living spaces more beautiful. Aino Aalto was also an accomplished photographer and glassware designer. In Aino + Alvar Aalto: A Life Together, the rich life and all-encompassing work of the iconic design couple is presented through an intimate lens by the couple’s grandson, Heikki Aalto-Alanen.

Tender moments from the renowned designers’ life together, placed alongside their iconic objects and architectural designs.

A lawyer by profession, Heikki Aalto-Alanen has served as vice chairman of the Alvar Aalto Foundation and has also been a member of Artek’s Board of Directors. Additionally, he has continuously worked to preserve the heritage of his grandparents’ work. With this book, Heikki Aalto-Alanen presents a more personal view of the famous couple. Indeed, this visual biography offers an unprecedented look into Aino and Alvar Aalto’s life together in Finland and abroad, and into their work as a shared undertaking. Design lovers will discover an array of documents, personal letters and family photographs as well as sketches and drawings. The photographs also include images of the couple’s architectural and interior design projects. Personal and work sketches, watercolors, and posters for exhibitions are also included in this must-have monograph. You can find the Phaidon-published book in the Gessato Design Store. Photography © Phaidon.