Aalto, Ervi and Revell - the builders of a new Finland

Exhibition in Studio Aalto (Helsinki, Finland) May 18 – October 8, 2010

Studio Aalto in Helsinki is now a venue for an exhibition presenting the architectural cooperation between Alvar Aalto, Aarne Ervi and Viljo Revell. The year 2010 marks also centenary of the birth of both Viljo Revell and Aarne Ervi. Ervi worked at Aalto’s office between 1935 and 1937 and Revell between 1936 and 1937. During 1936, Aalto’s office moved to a new building at Riihitie – now known as the Aalto House – which housed both the office and the home of the Aalto family. Contemporary projects involving both Ervi and Revell included the design of Finland’s pavilion for the World’s Fair in Paris.

During the Continuation War, both Ervi and Revell were called back from the front to join the redevelopment bureau, founded by the Finnish Association of Architects and headed by Aalto. In early 1942, the project evolved into the Standardisation Institute, and the development of the Building Information Files system, constantly in use in Finnish building and architecture, was initiated. The three architects stayed connected after the war. Every now and then, the younger colleagues wrote to inquire about Aalto’s opinion on some issue. The professional circles were small, and all three were sometimes involved in the same architectural competitions, either as competitors or members of the jury.

Based on the documents archived in the Alvar Aalto Museum, the exhibition presents the professional collaboration of the three architects. Aalto, Ervi and Revell were all founding members of the Museum of Finnish Architecture. The exhibition consists of drawings, photographs and authentic documents. The curators of the exhibition are Mia Hipeli, Arne Hästesko and Tomi Summanen. It is open at Studio Aalto in conjunction with guided tours until October 8, 2010.