Villa Mairea: Alvar Aalto

by Richard Weston

Villa Mairea is one of the finest houses of the twentieth century. For those familiar with it from only a few images, this book is a revelation. Alvar Aalto used his knowledge of vernacular building, Classicism and Modernism to create a building that is at once humane, rich and lyrical. The result is a work that remains technically innovative and timelessly alluring. Launched in 1991, the Architecture in Detail series attracted immediate acclaim and now comprises more than 60 titles. These books are highly collectable documents, each focusing in depth on a celebrated building. The series covers all sides of the vast spectrum of architecture from the past, present and future; the individual buildings are selected for their exceptional character, innovative design or technical virtuosity. Each volume contains a definitive text by a respected author; a sequence of colour and black-and-white photographs; a series of technical drawings; and a set of essential working details. These titles are vital to every architectural library, appealing to the professional and student alike, or indeed anyone with an appreciation of buildings.

Genres: Architecture

60 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Professor Richard Weston (born 1953) is an architect, landscape architect, author[1] and is also the Chair of Architecture at Cardiff University. He is Director of Richard Weston Studio Ltd and Earth Images Ltd.

Weston was born in Leicester in 1953. He attended Wyggeston Boys Grammar School. He went on to study architecture at Manchester University, gaining a BA in 1975 and BArch in 1977. Supported by the Thouron Award, he attended the University of Pennsylvania (USA) to study landscape architecture, gaining an MLA (Penn) in 1979. From 1979–1982 he worked in practice and was appointed as a lecturer at the Welsh School of Architecture (WSA) in Cardiff. He subsequently taught at the Leicester and Portsmouth schools of architecture before returning to Cardiff in 1999 as a professorial research fellow. In 2003 he was appointed to the Chair of Architecture, a position he holds today.

Reviews

[jw468 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite its short length, this book is jam-packed full of information about the Villa Mairea. There is a brief essay that explains the social milieu, the inspirations, and the composition of the house. Almost the entire book is devoted to photos and drawings. There are several details included.

Another book, which is referenced in this work and that will build on the information presented here, is The Decorated Diagram: Harvard Architecture and the Failure of the Bauhaus Legacy. Finally, Encounters has several essays about the Villa Mairea, particularly its relationship to Cubism.