Call for papers - Alvar Aalto Foundation

6TH ALVAR AALTO RESEARCHERS’ NETWORK SEMINAR – REINTERPRETATION

CALL FOR PAPERS 15.9.2025

The 6th Alvar Aalto Researchers’ Network Seminar – Reinterpretation, is to be held in Jyväskylä, Finland, 6.-7.5.2026. The seminar is being arranged by the Alvar Aalto Academy in collaboration with various partners. The Alvar Aalto Researchers’ Network is an international collaboration that serves as a channel for discussion and cooperation between people undertaking research on Alvar Aalto. The network is managed by the Alvar Aalto Academy as part of the functions of the Alvar Aalto Foundation.

This Alvar Aalto Researchers’ Network Seminar places its focus on reinterpretation

The Alvar Aalto Researchers’ Network Seminar 2026 invites scholars and professionals from diverse fields to engage with the seminar’s overarching theme: Reinterpretation. The aim is to explore how Alvar Aalto’s architecture and legacy, as well as broader themes within modern architecture and the built environment, are being rethought, recontextualized, and reimagined today.

Through three subthemes – Concepts, Buildings, and People – the seminar provides a platform for multidisciplinary dialogue. The discussions will span evolving terminologies, the re-evaluation of buildings in light of new functions and sustainability challenges, and renewed biographical approaches to the people behind the designs.

We welcome contributions that challenge established narratives, propose new analytical frameworks, or shed light on overlooked perspectives within Aalto studies and related fields. The seminar encourages both academic and practice-based viewpoints.

THEME

Submissions are asked to align themselves with one of three main themes: 1. Concepts, 2. Buildings, 3. People.

1. Concepts

How have terms, definitions, and theoretical frameworks used to discuss Aalto and modernism evolved over time?
This sub-theme invites reflections on shifting interpretations, the changing language or architectural discourse, and the broader implications of these conceptual developments for contemporary Aalto studies and modern architectural history.

2. Buildings

How are Aalto’s buildings being re-evaluated in light of changing use, ownership, materials, costs, and approaches to sustainability and care? This sub-theme invites interpretations of individual buildings and built environments, exploring how evolving contexts reshape our understanding of architectural legacy.

3. People

Reconsidering the individuals behind the architecture, with a focus on new biographical perspectives on Alvar Aalto and his collaborators. This sub-theme explores how fresh insights into the lives and relationships of designers challenge established narratives and enrich our understanding of architectural authorship.

Submission Guidelines

Participants are asked to submit an abstract of 200 words to the desired sub-theme along with their contact details (name, e-mail address) in a text file form (not a PDF). Abstracts should be written in English, the official language of the event. In your document, please indicate which sub-theme your paper belongs to. The abstract as a text file document must be emailed according to the schedule by 15.9.2025 to academy@alvaraalto.fi.

If selected, speakers will be asked to provide a final paper of max 1500 words/5 illustrations and an outline of their paper for an oral presentation to be presented at the Alvar Aalto Researchers Network Seminar throughout the two-day event. The organisers reserve the right to (re)arrange proposals into sub-theme sessions. Submissions will be evaluated by the Scientific Committee to ensure the quality and relevance of the seminar presentations. The final papers will be published in the Alvar Aalto Researchers’ Network publication.

Deadlines

Abstract Submission 15.9.2025
Notification of Acceptance/Rejection 30.10.2025
Final Paper Submission and registration deadline for authors 1.3.2026

Registration

Participation requires registration for the seminar. The registration fee covers:

Seminar programme, buffet lunch and coffee served during 6.-7.5.2025
Seminar bag (seminar information package, seminar gift, tourist information, etc.)
A printed copy and a PDF file of the seminar proceedings
Attendance and/or author certificate

Registration fees (registration opens in January 2026)

Author registration until 1.3.2026 (-50%) €90
Early registration until 1.3.2026 (-20%) €144
Standard registration 1.3.-15.4.2026 €180
Late registration 15.4.-5.5.2026 (+20%) €216

Scientific Committee

Heikki Hanka, Professor of art history, Head of the Department to Music, Art and Culture Studies, University of Jyväskylä
Tommi Lindh, LicSc (Arch), CEO, Alvar Aalto Foundation
Olli-Paavo Koponen, Architect, Professor of Architectural History, Tampere University
Timo Riekko, MA (Humanities), Chief Curator Collections, Alvar Aalto Foundation
Sofia Singler, PhD (Arch), Assistant Professor of Architecture, University of Cambridge
Panu Savolainen, Professor (tenure track) of History of Architecture and Architectural Conservation, Aalto University
Teemu Hirvilammi, Architect, Alvar Aalto Professor of Practice, Tampere University
Nina Heikkonen, MA (Art History), Programme Manager, Alvar Aalto Foundation
Secretary: Mirkka Ollila, MA, Producer, Alvar Aalto Foundation

Further Information

Nina Heikkonen, Alvar Aalto Foundation, +358 44 500 1257, nina.heikkonen@alvaraalto.fi