Loukko by 
Today is the publishing day of The Story of Aino and Alvar Aalto by Heikki Aalto-Alanen. The book is published by Otava Publishing in Finnish. It is based on previously unpublished correspondence between the couple from 1921-1949 and compiled and written by Heikki Aalto-Alanen, a grandson of the Aaltos.
The book has been prepared with precision, thoroughness and with love as the material is intimate and belongs to the Aalto family archives. This is the love story of the world-famous, pioneering design couple Aino and Alvar Aalto.
In honour of the publication day, Heikki Aalto-Alanen has been interviewed by the Finnish newspapers. Today in Keskisuomalainen Newspaper, Aalto-Alanen says:
– The letters haven’t been showed to anyone, really. Only biographer Göran Schildt and film director Virpi Suutari have used them in their works as research material. An absolute pearl is Aino’s travel journal which I happened to find from my mother’s night desk. The notes describe widely Aino’s travels, her thoughts, and plans.
In addition to the photographs from the family archive, the book is illustrated with Aino and Alvar’s drawings of each other and of their children, as well as landscape drawings made while traveling, along with other architectural drawings and photographs.
Download materials for the book from here.
“Countless books have been written about Alvar Aalto’s architecture and other works. Recently, Aino Marsio-Aalto has also received the recognition she deserves in her own right as well as in her role in the rise of Alvar Aalto as one of the leading architects of the 20th century,” says Heikki Aalto-Alanen. “The voice in this book is personal. I want to tell the story of Aino and Alvar’s unique partnership, relationship, and their joint life work from the perspective of a family member. I also want their own voices to be heard.”
Rights sold:
FINLAND: Otava (orig.)
ESTONIA: Postimees
JAPAN: Soshisha
