The Interior Design of Alver Aalto and Eileen Gray - Essay Example

DISCUSS THE INTERIOR DESIGN OF ALVER AALTO AND EILEEN GRAY Name Institution Date Introduction This essay will discuss the interior design work done by Alver Aalto and Eileen Grey. We shall compare and contrast the two artist whose work is regarded as an important work of art which is very important as one can learn a lot from this two artists. This essay tries to help us understand the complexities that were in the early architectural practices as compared to the architectural practices that are there today. Nowadays people only look at the structure itself but do not concentrate on the skill that had to be applied in order to come up with the structure[Cha10]. We shall look at what affects the appeal of architectural works. This means what attracts people to a work of architectural art. Some of the reasons for this attraction are the processes of representation and manifestation have been properly and attentively taken care of by the artist who is the architect. Alvar Aalto(1898-1976) was an artist and his main fields were architecture, furniture and design. Aalto was from Finland and his work were among the reasons that led to Finland’s economic lift off. Among the works of Aalto was the Aalto atelier which was modelled on an artistic atelier system typical to Finland[Cha10]. Aalto embraced the idea of working at home where he was able to interact more with nature and he did his projects when he moved to his studio house. Aalto’s work was designed in a manner that was more applicable or appealing to a family and his work promoted the sense of family. Henry Charrington in his journal says, “Aalto established a precise way of life that balanced public conviviality and connection with collegiate withdrawal and contemplation.” Figure 8 in Charrington’s work shows one of the designs of Aalto which we shall compare with a design by Gray. Eileen Gray (1878-1976) on the other hand was an Irish designer and architect. He was the main reason for the change in architectural designs into the new modern designs that we can see nowadays. The fact that Eileen was a woman did not stop her from achieving success in this field of design and architecture. Caroline constant in her journal writes, “Because her architecture emanated from a critical relationship to certain leaders of the European Avant-grade, Gray was both assailed by her peers and neglected in historical accounts of modernism.” Gray’s designs had a sought of message behind them whereby she sought to overcome the dehumanizing characteristics which came with the abstraction through prioritizing the subjective 1qualities of experience[Con94]. Figure 2 Eileen Gray," Boudoir de Monte carlo,"1 922-23 in Constant’s journal shows an example of the designs that Eileen Gray had come up with. The figure is of Eileen’s room. Formal Analysis Eileen Gray’s boudoir de Monte Carlo is an interior design that is very interesting to look at as it gives the viewer so many thoughts about the design. In this design Grey wanted to look for exposure for her work and even though this was not an architectural design as it was theoretical it showed the capacity that a single room had to take on the aspects of an entire lived milieu[Con94]. Eileen used her furnishings and tried to bring out their ambience in order to enhance the rooms experiential character making the design feel more real than fictionalized. These design can be taken into consideration when analyzing Grey’s work since it was done with the intention of creating a model or design that could go hand in hand with a human’s existence. In Constant’s article she says that Gray titled this exhibit as Boudoir de Monte Carlo which meant a site of leisure escape. This was to get in touch with the modern conditions of dwelling as times were changing therefore even the designs and the conditions of dwelling were also changing. The boudoir was regarded as place or dwelling where the woman could reflect on her plans or yield to her inclinations therefore it was designed for sensual pleasure. The Tiilimaki Atelier was a design used to show the proposed auditorium of the house of culture[Cha10]. In his designs Aalto paid attention to the details of the designs and he used skill to come up with magnificent designs. Once the design had started to be built Aalto continued with observations in order to find out how the design could still be made even better and how it could evolve. Alvar Aalto used to say that the exact form of a designed seemed to be visible only when the construction had begun. The main reason for Aalto’s success in his building and his designs was the fact that he used skill and he had an understanding of the craftsmanship of making a design. Aalto was also a determined man and he ensured that his buildings were superb. In essence it is clear that both of these artists from their works were driven by different motivations. This had an effect on the designs that they came up with but what was constant was the skills and determination that they had in ensuring that their designs were perfect. Grey’s drive came from modernizing the architectural industry as she sought to move with the changing times. Aalto on the other hand had taste for perfection and this is what drove him his understanding and determination were also ingredients in ensuring that his designs were unique. Historical Context For grey’s design she wanted to ensure that she modernized the architectural industry therefore the boudoir was a designed that showed how the modern woman was supposed to live. She was also trying to show her feminine side as she created a design that showed a surrounding where the modern woman could go and unwind her mind. Badovici analyzed gray’s work as an embodiment of the new civilization. Grey’s designs could be said to have been made according to her client’s individuality. In the Boudoir Grey created a design which was exclusively for female use and it was regarded as a surrounding where the woman could enjoy sensual pleasure. For Aalto’s designs they were aimed at showing the modernistic ideals and also romanticism. Around that time that Aalto was so into his work in Sweden the origins of the welfare state coincided with its first exposure to the international style of modernism[Pel10]. Therefore it is clear that the designs done by Aalto were direct to promoting modernization and romanticism. This designs were very important at the time as they played a very important role in the economic growth of Finland. The Scandinavian countries came up with a welfare state model whereby they decided to combine the capitalistic economic system with the leftist social ideals so as to ensure that the lives of their citizens were better. This was done through great designs of architecture by great artists like Aalto. Working with Academic texts Charrington in his article has clearly said that Aalto enjoyed the intimacy of working from his home and he supported the ideals that the National Romantic Movement put across. He says that “Aalto Atelier generated houses from their domesticity, not just as their role as items to be molded as housing within greater productive architectural plans”. This shows that Aalto was2 very sensitive when it came to the designing of buildings as he took a lot of consideration on the skill that he employed on the buildings[Cha10]. Caroline in his article shows how Gray was interest in the modernizing of the architectural industry. In her article she writes “for grey the house was not an object to be apprehended through visual detachment, but a flexible structure given life by its occupants”. This shows that gray did not allow herself to be limited by the rules of the modernization but she freely created designs that she visualized which would be given life by occupants. Gray was not limited and she used her imagination to come up with different designs which ended up becoming the stepping stone to modernization of the architectural industry into what it is today. In the Boudoir gray managed to visualize how a modern woman would live and the kind of surroundings that would house her and she made it come true. Conclusion It is clear that both artists work was concentrated to a large extent to the modernization era and the designs they came up with were magnificent in showing how the modernized world of architecture and design would be. The two artists used their imagination and visualized designs that were modern and using their skills and determination they were able to create the perfect models. The reason as to why I carried out this research was to show how the designs of these two artists paved the way for modernization and to show what an artist needs in order to ensure that he or she achieves success in their area of expertise. These two artists used their visualization skills to ensure that they come up with the perfect designed yet they did not stop there but proceeded to perfect on their designs. Bibliography Cha10: , (Charrington 2010), Con94: , (Constant 1994), Pel10: , (Pelkonen 2010), Read More

The Tiilimaki Atelier was a design used to show the proposed auditorium of the house of culture[Cha10]. In his designs Aalto paid attention to the details of the designs and he used skill to come up with magnificent designs. Once the design had started to be built Aalto continued with observations in order to find out how the design could still be made even better and how it could evolve. Alvar Aalto used to say that the exact form of a designed seemed to be visible only when the construction had begun.

The main reason for Aalto’s success in his building and his designs was the fact that he used skill and he had an understanding of the craftsmanship of making a design. Aalto was also a determined man and he ensured that his buildings were superb. In essence it is clear that both of these artists from their works were driven by different motivations. This had an effect on the designs that they came up with but what was constant was the skills and determination that they had in ensuring that their designs were perfect.

Grey’s drive came from modernizing the architectural industry as she sought to move with the changing times. Aalto on the other hand had taste for perfection and this is what drove him his understanding and determination were also ingredients in ensuring that his designs were unique. Historical Context For grey’s design she wanted to ensure that she modernized the architectural industry therefore the boudoir was a designed that showed how the modern woman was supposed to live.

She was also trying to show her feminine side as she created a design that showed a surrounding where the modern woman could go and unwind her mind. Badovici analyzed gray’s work as an embodiment of the new civilization. Grey’s designs could be said to have been made according to her client’s individuality. In the Boudoir Grey created a design which was exclusively for female use and it was regarded as a surrounding where the woman could enjoy sensual pleasure. For Aalto’s designs they were aimed at showing the modernistic ideals and also romanticism.

Around that time that Aalto was so into his work in Sweden the origins of the welfare state coincided with its first exposure to the international style of modernism[Pel10]. Therefore it is clear that the designs done by Aalto were direct to promoting modernization and romanticism. This designs were very important at the time as they played a very important role in the economic growth of Finland. The Scandinavian countries came up with a welfare state model whereby they decided to combine the capitalistic economic system with the leftist social ideals so as to ensure that the lives of their citizens were better.

This was done through great designs of architecture by great artists like Aalto. Working with Academic texts Charrington in his article has clearly said that Aalto enjoyed the intimacy of working from his home and he supported the ideals that the National Romantic Movement put across. He says that “Aalto Atelier generated houses from their domesticity, not just as their role as items to be molded as housing within greater productive architectural plans”.

This shows that Aalto was2 very sensitive when it came to the designing of buildings as he took a lot of consideration on the skill that he employed on the buildings[Cha10]. Caroline in his article shows how Gray was interest in the modernizing of the architectural industry. In her article she writes “for grey the house was not an object to be apprehended through visual detachment, but a flexible structure given life by its occupants”. This shows that gray did not allow herself to be limited by the rules of the modernization but she freely created designs that she visualized which would be given life by occupants.

Gray was not limited and she used her imagination to come up with different designs which ended up becoming the stepping stone to modernization of the architectural industry into what it is today.

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