Finland: In Search of Alvar Aalto

While in Helsinki for a planning conference in 2010, Scharlie and I were on a mission to explore Scandinavian design and architecture, particularly the work of Alvar Aalto.

Alvar Aalto

Alvar Aalto, and his wife Aino, were revolutionary Finnish architects and designers, renowned for their human-centric approach, seamlessly integrating architecture, furniture, and nature in their designs. The Aaltos have had a huge influence on contemporary architecture and design, from Conran and Habitat in the 60s to architects today.

Impact

They also had a big impact on our own lives, and we have incorporated their thinking into the renovation of our wooden house, Leveret Croft, and into the design of our furniture and fittings.

Wooden houses

Apart from the marvellous Aalto buildings we visited, including the family home and Savoy Restaurant, Helsinki was interesting and exciting for ideas on incorporating nature into urban planning and for its surviving districts of traditional wooden houses.

Helsinki and Tallinn

We stayed in the fabulous Hotel Torni, designed by Finnish architects Bertel and Valter Jung in 1928 and walked the pants off ourselves, taking in as much of the city as we could in a few days. On our final day, we had a day trip to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, just 2 hours away by ferry.

Published 23 Jan 2026, 72 pages, ISBN 9781912460342.