Aino Aalto worked alongside her husband as a designer of equal standing. Many competition entries were submitted jointly by Aino and Alvar, such as those for the Paris International Exhibition and New York World’s Fair pavilions. In the extensive output of Aalto’s office it is, however, hard to distinguish the roles of the different designers, since works mostly went by the name of the office.

Aino and Alvar Aalto in front of the New York World Fair’s pavilion. Photo: Eino Mäkinen © Alvar Aalto Foundation.

Aino designed some buildings independently, such as the family’s summer residence, Villa Flora, in Alajärvi (1926) and Noormarkku Children’s House and Health Center (1945). Aino was also a skilled exhibition designer and her exhibition architecture for the Milan Triennial in 1936 won a Grand Prix.

Aino Aalto was especially interested in interior and furniture design, for which she had plenty of opportunities in Aalto’s office’s comprehensive building projects. The aspiration to beauty, quality and utility made Aino a reliable interior designer. As Artek’s first Design Director, Aino Aalto created the company’s still-recognizable, timeless, high-quality style. Indeed, Maire Gullichsen described her as the most aesthetic person she had ever met.

The Aalto House in Helsinki, Finland. Photo: Maija Holma © Alvar Aalto Foundation.

Aino Aalto was also an accomplished photographer and an early adopter of the principles of modern photography. The subjects of the extant photos are mostly of the family circle, children, journeys and architectural sites, but their composition shows that Aino was very aware of continental European role models. She was also socially aware and, for example, participated in the work of the Finnish Association of Women Architects Architecta.

Turku Fair in 1929. Photo: Aino Aalto © Alvar Aalto Foundation.

Most of Aino’s object designs are, however, connected with furniture and interiors. Alongside her architectural studies, she had done work experience in furniture workshops, so she was familiar with the principles of furniture design and serial production. When Artek was founded in 1935, incorporated into its range were not only pieces of furniture designed by Alvar Aalto, but also finished products by Aino, such as the nursery furniture (1929) and the set of drawers in the “everyman’s desk” (1930).

Under Aino’s leadership Artek’s range expanded rapidly, with both variations on Aalto furniture and Aino’s own, practical furniture. Artek carried out all sorts of interior-design commissions, ranging from restaurants to hospitality suites and fairs, but Aino’s modern values and strong sense of social responsibility flourished particularly in interior design related to childcare, such as in kindergartens, health centres and maternity clinics.