The 6th Alvar Aalto Researchers’ Network Seminar “Reinterpretation” brings the latest trends in Alvar Aalto research to Jyväskylä on May 6–7, 2026. The event will provide a platform for researchers, students, and others interested in the research of modern architecture. The seminar will feature a total of around 40 unique presentations from around the world.

The presentations at the international research seminar encourage us to examine how Alvar Aalto’s legacy – and, more broadly, modern architecture and the built environment – is thought about, contextualized, and reinterpreted today. The sub-themes of the seminar are Concepts, Buildings, and People.

The presentations on the Concepts theme will delve into the theoretical foundations of Aalto’s architecture – from the typology of sacred space and material experimentation to nature-based design, functionalist critique and global reinterpretations of modernism. Together, the presentations reveal how Aalto’s ideas constantly give rise to new conceptual frameworks for understanding architecture’s human, cultural, and environmental roles, while at the same time inspiring new interpretations, from philosophical anthropology to postmodern readings and organic design traditions. The Concepts theme will be opened by the main keynote speaker, architectural historian, critic, and photographer William J.R. Curtis.

The Buildings theme brings together a diverse range of research perspectives on how architecture is communicated, experienced, and interpreted. The presentations address the political framework of architectural publications and Nordic approaches to collective space in the post-war period. Also under the microscope are the changing narratives of the Viipuri Library, new interpretations of Louis Carré’s archives, and environmental analyses of Aalto’s housing design. This session also examines visitor perceptions of Aalto sites and traces Aalto’s influence on modern domestic architecture in Scotland. The Buildings theme will be opened by Professor Henriette Steiner from the Section for Landscape Architecture and Planning and Society at the University of Copenhagen.

The presentations of the People theme will explore how human experiences, social connections, and personal narratives shape our understanding of Aalto’s architecture. The topics of the session range from patient perspectives of Paimio Sanatorium and community responses evoked by the Säynätsalo Town Hall to G.E. Kidder Smith’s human-centered approach, Aalto’s Ostrobothnian roots, and the influence of thinkers such as Kropotkin. Together, the presentations emphasize how Aalto’s work – and its legacy – unfolds through lived experiences, collaboration, cultural dialogue, and the everyday communities connected to Aalto’s architecture. The People theme will be opened by Scott Wall, architect, author and Professor at School of Architecture University of Tennessee.

Check out the Alvar Aalto Researchers’ Network Seminar whole programme here.

The seminar’s side programme includes a public lecture and interesting architectural excursions

The programme includes a Studia Generalia lecture open to all on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at 18:00–18:30 held at Aalto2, where architect and Professor of Architecture at the University of Tampere Teemu Hirvilammi will give a lecture on the topic ‘Experiencing Aalto’s architecture’ in Finnish.

The seminar includes two architectural excursions: a visit to Säynätsalo Town Hall (1949–52) on May 5 and a guided tour of the University of Jyväskylä campus (1952–1971) on May 6. There are a limited number of tickets for the excursions, so reserve your place here.

Reserve your ticket at the Early Bird price by March 31. Virtual participation in the seminar is free of charge, but requires registration. The English-language seminar organized by the Alvar Aalto Academy is open to anyone interested in the seminar topic. The main partner of the event is the City of Jyväskylä.

Welcome to the Aalto2 Museum Centre in Jyväskylä on May 6–7, 2026, either in person or virtually!

The Alvar Aalto Researchers’ Network Seminar is an international, multidisciplinary event that brings together researchers, experts, and professionals in architecture, design, art, and cultural history from around the world. The seminar aims to promote scholarly discussion on Alvar Aalto’s life’s work, design philosophy, and influence, as well as on modern architecture and its research more broadly. The seminar also offers an opportunity for networking and discussion among experts in different fields.

The Alvar Aalto Reasearchers´ Network serves as a discussion channel and builder of connections between international Alvar Aalto researchers. Through the network, topics of interest to Aalto research are bought to the fore. The Alvar Aalto Academy, which is part of the Alvar Aalto Foundation, is responsible for organising the network´s events.

The seminar location, Aalto2 Museum Centre, is a meeting place for architecture, design and cultural heritage. It consists of two buildings by Aalto – the Alvar Aalto Museum (1971–73, 2023) and the Museum of Central Finland (1956–61, 1991, 2019) – together with a new extension designed by A-Konsultit (2023). 

6th Alvar Aalto Researchers’ Network Seminar
Date: 6.–7.5.2026
Place: Aalto2, Alvar Aallon katu 7, Jyväskylä

Further information: 
academy@alvaraalto.fi

Programme Manager Nina Heikkonen
Alvar Aalto Academy
+358 44 500 1257
nina.heikkonen@alvaraalto.fi