Aalto house・アアルトの家, Vol. 1

It was several years ago, just about this time of a year, when spring was sprung in the temperate countries in the northern hemisphere, like Japan and USA. In Helsinki, Finland, the shoes and rivers were still frozen. It was my first trip to Helsinki, and I had only a few days to explore; so I had to prioritize. But,  as a huge fan of the father of Finnish design Alvar Aalto, I could not miss visiting his house (which is kept as a private museum).

もう、３−４年前になりますが、ちょうど今頃にフィンランドを訪ねたことがあります。日本など北半球の温帯の国々が春を謳歌し始める頃、フィンランドの浜辺や川は凍っていたような．．．。初めてのヘルシンキ訪問、それもほんの数日間となると、的を絞って街を歩くことになります。それでも、スカンジナビア・デザインの巨匠のアアルト好きな私としては、彼の家を外すことはできません。


I was the only visitor for the hour, so they gave me a private tour and afterward let me explore on my own. (Yes!) He made the house when he was still a young and start-up architect in the area, which was considered a far end of the city (at that time), on a very tight budget. This house was his experiment, showcase, and grand collection of his motto to create something everyone can afford. He loved the place dearly and spent most of his life there, together with two much loved wives. It was a full life - you can feel it there in his house.

訪ねていくとその日はとてもすいていたので、独占ツアーをしてもらいました。彼がまだ若くて駆け出しの頃、当時はまだヘルシンキの果てにあたる場所で、安く一戸建てを造ろうといろんな工夫がされたとか。万人の手に届く暮らしをデザインする、そのモットーとスタイルの実験であり、見本であり、集大成でもあったこの家で、彼は人生の大半を過ごしました。二人の愛妻を得て、充実した人生だったようです。


In this post, I will post photos of the office/studio part of the house.
このポストでは、スタジオ／仕事場部分を紹介します。



Aalto liked this corner of the house. His desk was permanently placed here - not in the office room.

アアルトはこのコーナーがお気に入りだったとか。彼の机は、事務所用の部屋でなくずっとこちらに置かれていたらしい。




Desks of his workers. The pictures were painted by Aalto. The upper floor was for the newbies. They had to start there by sharpening hundreds of pencils a day. (laugh)

弟子たちの机。飾ってあるのはアアルトの描いた絵。上の階は、一番の若手が鉛筆削りからはじめた場所らしい。（笑）



This room was supposed to be his office, but he didn't like it, apparently. Instead, his wife and fellow designer Aino used it.

ここは、アアルトのオフィスになるはずだった部屋。代わりに、妻でパートナーだったアイノさんが愛用していたらしい。



This is a secret door to the 2nd floor of the house. When he was too busy or overwhelmed, he would sneak out of the work place from this door to the balcony.

この扉は、隠れとびら。忙しすぎて逃げ出したいときはここからするりと二階のバルコニーに隠れ出たらしいです。



A collection of bits and pieces. Some were dug up during construction of the house, and others were taken up on trips to all over the world.

いろんな破片のコレクション。家を建てるときに出てきた物や、各国への旅行で拾ってきた物など。


To be continued in Vol. 2...

その２につづく。