Includes bibliographical references and index.
Introduction: Geography of (Aalto's) architecture -- pt. 1. Making of a nation. In search of a national style ; Toward a cultural revival ; National identity in the age of mass culture -- pt. 2. New geographies. Pan-European aspirations ; Being international ; Regional plans -- pt. 3. Formal registers. Organic lines ; Geopolitics of fame ; Ambiguity -- Conclusion: Geopolitics of architecture.
Perhaps no other great modern architect has been linked to a native country as closely as Alvar Aalto (1898-1976). Critics have argued that the essence of Finland flows, as if naturally, into his quasi-organic forms, ranging from such buildings as the Baker House in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to iconic 20th-century designs, including his Savoy vase and bent-plywood stacking stools. What did Aalto himself say about the importance of nationalism and geography in his work and in architecture generally? With an unprecedented focus on the architect's own writings, library, and critical reception, Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen proposes a dramatically different interpretation of Aalto's oeuvre, revealing it as a deeply thoughtful response to his intellectual and cultural milieu-- especially to Finland's dynamic political circumstances following independence from Russia in 1917.
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