Aino + Alvar Aalto

Aino + Alvar Aalto: A Life Together, published by Phaidon, is a book about the most iconic couple in the history of Finnish design, Aino and Alvar Aalto. Illustrated with abundant archival photographs, drawings and letters, this book chronicles the shared life and work of the design duo from their first meeting to Aino's passing. The 352-page book is written by the Aaltos' grandchild, lawyer Heikki Aalto-Alanen, who has also served on the boards of the Alvar Aalto Foundation and Artek.

Aino and Alvar Aalto together founded Artek and created some of the most celebrated objects and buildings of the twentieth century. Through letters, documents, drawings, and family photographs, Alvar and Aino’s grandson tells the stories of their life together, in Finland and abroad, drawing on many of the never-before-published letters they sent to each other and to family, friends, and colleagues, until Aino’s death in 1949. The first monograph to specifically examine and celebrate the life and work of Aino and Alvar as a shared endeavour, this personal and intimate look at the unconventional lives of one of the most influential design couples of the twentieth century has been warmly and accessibly written by Aino and Alvar’s grandson, who has drawn on the family’s largely unpublished archive, including personal letters, snapshots, and sketches.