Concept model.
At first glance the Villa and Studio at Rievägen 20 in the outskirts of Helsingfors looks like a prime example of precise architecture. Strict, beautiful and clean. However, beauty and tidiness alone don’t earn you a spot on the top shelf in the history of our Nordic architectural heritage.
This model is an expression of the process of discovering the other side. The playful, unexpected, daring and explorative side of the home and workplace of the couple and colleagues, Alvar and Aino Aalto. It presents and represents the two sides, the supporting mass and the created room for exploration.
Surely the elephant in the room needs addressing. The pandemic makes it impossible to truly explore the building in its true physical form, hence the process of investigating the building is an odd one. Experiencing a building purely from photos, drawings, texts and other second hand material is not as intuitive as exploring it first hand. Some impressions are clear and straightforward, whilst others are purely confusing.