0866 - Modern Masters: Alvar Aalto

Course Description

Finnish architect, artist and designer Alvar Aalto's career spanned six decades and various media, including sculpture, textiles, and furniture as well as building design. Though his early work drew heavily from Nordic Classicism, he quickly adopted a more functionalist aesthetic as he traveled throughout Europe and familiarized himself with International Style Modernism. However, Aalto quickly developed his own stylistic approach -- what is now considered Scandinavian Modern -- wherein he combined a concern for natural materials, simplification of style, and an interest in technical experimentation. He adopted a more daring approach to modernism, introducing organic shapes and movement to his work that was often lacking in the pure modernism of Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius. Through this lecture, we will explore Aalto's career, focusing on his interest in the concept of a Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art), wherein the architect would design not only a building, but also the interior surfaces, furniture and decor, making sure all coalesced into one unified design.

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Animation : Electives
• Graphic Design : Electives
• Interactive Design : Electives
• Natural Science Illustration : Electives
• Painting Studies : Electives
• Photography : Electives