To mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Alvar Aalto, one of the most important figures in architectural history, this exhibition will showcase the extensive body of work he created with his two wives, Aino and Elissa. The Aaltos revolutionised the humanist aspect of modern architecture by grounding it in an organic connection to nature, producing countless designs in the process.

Between the two world wars, the Aaltos helped to create an identity for the young Finnish nation. They participated in the International Congresses of Modern Architecture and the Paris and New York exhibitions, and designed masterpieces such as the Viipuri Library (now in Russia), Villa Mairea in Finland, Baker House in the United States and Maison Carré in France.

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“Aalto”
July 18, 2025 – January 04, 2026
Serralves Museum
R. Dom João de Castro 210, 4150-417 Porto
Portugal

Following the introduction of antibiotics, their Paimio Sanatorium set an example to the world by demonstrating how spaces could be made healthier and more accessible, through studies of solar incidence, natural ventilation and silent washbasins. Sanatorium is one of the thirteen Aalto-designed projects currently proposed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

About Alvar Aalto (1898–1976), one of the greatest figures in the history of architecture, this monographic exhibition focuses on the extensive body of work he developed with both of his wives, Aino Aalto (1894–1949) and Elissa Aalto (1922–1994). The Aalto family revolutionized the humanist dimension of modern architecture, grounding it in an organic connection to nature — through context, form, materials, and comfort — and produced numerous design pieces through their furniture company, Artek, which was acquired by Vitra in 2013.

Between the two World Wars, the Aaltos helped shape an identity for the young Finnish nation, drawing inspiration from Mediterranean courtyards, the International Congresses of Modern Architecture, and the World’s Fairs in Paris (1937) and New York (1939). They created masterpieces such as the Viipuri Library (now in Russia), Villa Mairea in Finland, the Baker House at MIT in the United States, Maison Carré in France, the Kunsten Museum in Denmark, the Church of Riola in Italy, and the Essen Theatre in Germany, among others.

With the advent of antibiotics, it was their Sanatorium in Paimio that set an example to the world on the accessible healthiness of architectural spaces, studying sunlight exposure, natural ventilation, and even silent sinks. This is the first of thirteen projects currently nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status and one of the reasons why the Alvar Aalto Medal is awarded for significant contributions to architectural creation — becoming one of the most prestigious international awards.

Among its recipients, such as James Stirling, Jørn Utzon, and Tadao Ando, are the Portuguese architects Paulo David and Álvaro Siza, who received the namesake medal in 1988 — having long considered Aalto one of his heroes since buying his first architecture magazine in the early 1950s.

It is precisely with this medal that visitors enter the exhibition, which formally mimics the amphitheater of Aalto’s own studio and sublimates the intimacy of his Experimental House through the deliberately embossed digital imprint along its perimeter. However, the exhibition path does not begin here, in the 1950s–60s, but rather chronologically in the 1920s, to the left, ending with Elissa’s death in 1994, to the right. Now, thirty-one years later, we contemplate 31 projects, as well as others that provide occasional context, symbolically organized around biblical themes to emphasize the impact of Aalto’s work on the construction of Lutheran faith.