Published alongside the exhibition, the book Aalto Design: Shapes of Wellbeing expands on the exhibition’s central themes. Published in English, the book explores Alvar Aalto’s writings and his lifelong interest in human wellbeing. It also invites dialogue across disciplines and encourages readers to reflect on the role of wellbeing in contemporary design.
Book: Aalto Design: Shapes of Wellbeing
In the key essay Alvar Aalto’s Quest for Emotional Intelligence: Towards Epicurean Architecture, Yale University professor of architecture Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen traces the development of Alvar Aalto’s worldview. She demonstrates how it was shaped by Aalto’s educational background as well as by the many literary and intellectual influences he absorbed throughout his life. Through Aalto’s writings, Pelkonen argues that it is impossible to fully appreciate Aalto as an architect without understanding his lifelong commitment to the development of human emotional intelligence.
Title: Aalto Design: Shapes of Wellbeing
ISBN: 978-952-5195-66-8
Authors: Pilvi Kalhama, Petteri Kummala, Jemina Vainikka Lindholm, Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen, Jutta Tynkkynen
Editors: Petteri Kummala and Carson Chan
Illustrations: Extensive colour illustrations