Step foot on Finnish soil and it’s just a matter of time before you start to understand how significant the architect and designer Alvar Aalto is to Finnish design culture. Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) — along with his first wife, Aino Aalto (1894-1949), and second wife Elissa Aalto (1922-1994) both of whom are notable architects and designers in their own right — is widely considered the founding father of Finland’s ‘Golden Era’ of design.
The famous Finn enjoyed a successful career at home in Finland and abroad. During a long and prolific career, Aalto designed buildings for almost all key public institutions, standardised housing, and private homes, but he also has a lasting legacy in the design of iconic furniture pieces, too.
