Alvar Aalto: Technology and Nature

Finnish architect Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) is celebrated as a central figure in modern architecture, ranked alongside Gropius, Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe. This documentary examines how Aalto masterfully balanced the pressures and possibilities of new technology and building materials with the aim of crafting spaces that are humane for occupants and harmonious with their natural context. His pioneering use of timber, in particular, references Finland’s forest landscape and embodies a warm, highly adaptable material. Filmed across Finland, Italy, Germany and the United States, the film demonstrates how the Finnish natural environment and artistic traditions underpinned Aalto’s groundbreaking fusion of technology and nature.