ALVAR AALTO THE COMPLETE WORK 3 VOL. :

Volume 1:

Of the Complete Works of Alvar Aalto with buildings and projects from the period between 1992 and 1962 is avaliable in a 4th edition. 283 photographs, 85 plans and 84 sketches show in chronological sequence all the more important buildings and projects, form the Finnsh Theatre in Turku (1927-1929) to the plan for the new centre of Helsinki (1962).

"It is the great achievement of this book to have, made palpble both the simplicity and the intricacy of Aaltos's architecture. It does not subject Aalto to any kind of rigid classification, it makes no fuss about his buildings, it illustrates them honestly, without photographic tricks. This book, then, is very much in the spirit of Aalto himself, noble and modest...)"



Volume 2:

Alvar Aalto, born in 1898 at Kuortane in west central Finland is one of the last surviving figures of the great generation of 20th century architects. His buildings, ranging from townplanning projects. His building, ranging from towplanning projects to the simple home, give the effect of unified organisms. His approach does not involve formal architectural theories. The evolution of every single building project, from the first hasty sektch to the finished constuction has turned over to the client, is fascinating to watch and bears throughout the imprint of the personality of the architect. Everything remains lively and in flux, seems spontaneous and natural, as if it hard sprung from the natural enviroment. Aalto`s specila feeling for the importance of individual separate components and construction phases makes it possible for him to put his richly varied personal stamp even on relatively modest architectural assignments. Thus even furniture, lamps, curtains, and all the things that, after all, make a house livable, stem for the most part from the designs and experiments of Aalto. The central thme of his work ist the unity of conception, formal design and way of life.



Volume 3:

When the sad news came from Helsinki of Aalto`s death, professional architects knew that one of the last surviving figures of the great generation of 20th century architects was gone.

Aalto's architectural idiom cannot be subsumed within any given historical category; any such classification is rendered impossible even for each of his individual works. His designs, in plan in function, in section and in elevation view, all bear so indelibly the stamp of his extemely original personality that it is very difficult indeed to derive from them Aalto`s ideas, his criticism of his times and his basic philosophical outlook.

Karl Fleig, along with Mrs. Elissa Aalto, has produced an edition which not only displays the last works, but in addition, presents both the total achievement and Aalto the man