The exhibition was designed and co-curated by Shigeru Ban, in collaboration with Juhani Pallasmaa, former director of the Museum of Finnish Architecture, Helsinki, and Tomoko Sato from the Barbican Art Gallery.
It examined the development of Alvar Aalto’s architectural ideas and style, featuring models, drawings, photographs and artefacts from 14 of his key projects, built mainly in Finland, Denmark, Russia and the USA. Shown alongside Aalto’s original models are newly commissioned analytical models of Aalto’s buildings produced by Shigeru Ban Laboratory, Keio University SFC, Tokyo. Also displayed are new photographs of Aalto’s buildings taken by American photographer Judith Turner which shed new light on his work.
The exhibition also showcased his wide-ranging product designs including his famous stacking stool and other furniture pieces, as well as glassware, light fittings and textiles.
