Aalto – Aino Alvar Elissa

The exhibition opens at MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome in December, and tells the story of Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto’s design ideology, which was typified by architecture and design in harmony with people and the surrounding world.

Architecture, art and design are all interlinked in the Aaltos’ thinking. The buildings designed by Alvar Aalto’s architect’s office continue to inspire architects around the world. The Aaltos’ design ideas can be seen in serially-produced objects in many homes, with several pieces from the 30s still in production today.

The exhibition showcases 11 building projects completed by Aalto’s office during his long career. The experimental layout offers visitors various ways to explore these world-famous works.

A considerable number of original drawings from the Alvar Aalto Foundation’s extensive collections are on display. Besides drawings, the exhibition includes documents on loan from the Foundation’s document collection and items, such as glassware, furniture and light fittings, from its object collection. The loan of nearly 250 objects for this exhibition is the biggest made by the Alvar Aalto Foundation in 2023.