Keeping it modern

The Aalto Museum presents stages and historical layers of Paimio Sanatorium with reference to Finland’s first architectural conservation management plan.

Paimio Sanatorium, an early major work by Alvar Aalto, is the subject of an exhibition on show in the Gallery at the Alvar Aalto Museum from 12 February to 10 April 2016. The exhibition is based on a conservation management plan prepared for the first time in Finland. The plan involves the most detailed investigation so far of the hospital, which was built for tuberculosis patients.

Keeping it modern — **Top**: Kauria colour chart by artist Eino Kauria. **Above**: Paimio Sanatorium. Photo Gustaf Welin. Courtesy of Alvar Aalto Museum

In the early 20th century, pulmonary tuberculosis was one of the main causes of death for young people in Finland and other industrialised countries in Europe. State funding mandated by law was used for building several sanatoriums for thousands of tuberculosis patients in different parts of Finland. One of Alvar Aalto’s best-known works, Paimio Sanatorium was completed in 1933. With its adjoining hospital complex, the functionalist sanatorium is one of Finland’s most significant architectural environments. The exhibition presents the various stages and historical layers of the sanatorium with reference to Finland’s first architectural conservation management plan. The plan, which is pending the approval of the project’s steering group, provides new detailed information on the sanatorium. Paimio Sanatorium is a total work of art whose architecture, interiors and lighting and even its aural environment were designed to support the recuperation and rest of patients.

“The conservation management plan is a tool for the care of architectural heritage. The plan for Paimio Sanatorium contains, among other features, a comprehensive colour research, a study of the technical design of ventilation and a survey of alterations made to the building. The sanatorium has never been investigated in such detail before. While pending official approval from its steering group, the conservation management plan for Paimio Sanatorium has now been sent to the owner of the facility for decisions on required action”, notes Tommi Lindh, Director of the Alvar Aalto Foundation.

“Since the exhibition is based on the conservation plan, we are able to present the work of the Alvar Aalto Foundation in broader perspective. Paimio Sanatorium exhibition is a fascinating combination of our museum activities and work on behalf of the architectural heritage”, says Lindh

The exhibition design makes prominent use of photographs and drawings among other material. Also on display are unique one-off items of furniture designed by Aino and Alvar Aalto that have not been previously seen outside Paimio Sanatorium. A reconstruction of a patients’ room at Paimio is also on show in the permanent exhibition of the Alvar Aalto Museum.

In 2014, the Getty Foundation chose Paimio Sanatorium as one of the ten pilot projects of its Keeping It Modern initiative which aims to find new methods and renovation standards for the care of works of the modern architectural heritage. The conservation management plan will be implemented with the aid of a grant awarded by the Getty Foundation.

12 February – 10 April 2016
Paimio Sanatorium Keeping It Modern
Alvar Aalto Museum
Gallery Alvar Aallon katu 7, Jyväskylä

Keeping it modern

The Aalto Museum presents stages and historical layers of Paimio Sanatorium with reference to Finland’s first architectural conservation management plan.

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