Sacred spaces: Community and Continuity in Aaltos’ Architecture

Curated and scripted by Dr. Tammy Gaber, this exhibition has been developed in collaboration with students from the McEwen School of Architecture at Laurentian University.

The exhibition showcases 35 sacred spaces designed by Alvar, Aino, and Elissa Aalto, presented through detailed 3D drawings. Over the course of five decades, the Aaltos were involved in the renovation of seven historic churches, designed 11 built ecclesiastical structures, and conceptualized 17 unbuilt sacred spaces for communities in various parts of Finland and several other countries. The exhibition highlights the Aaltos’ unique contribution to church architecture.

Dr. Gaber’s extensive research underpins the exhibition, funded by the Canadian Federal grant funding at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, with collaborative support from the Alvar Aalto Foundation. Dr. Gaber also led two Aalto-themed courses at the McEwen School of Architecture, where students played a crucial role in creating the 3D drawings displayed in the exhibition. These drawings integrate original architectural plans (including floor plans, sections, and elevations) with all available information, allowing for a comprehensive spatial understanding of both the built and unbuilt ecclesiastical spaces as the Aaltos envisioned them.

The exhibition is organized chronologically, revealing the relationships between the designs developed over five decades. It also includes textual and visual reflections on key themes in sacred spaces, such as art, projects designed outside Finland, and the subsequent phases of the constructed churches. Original drawings and objects from several Aalto churches are on loan from the Alvar Aalto Foundation’s collections.

The Sacred Spaces exhibition offers a unique opportunity to explore the multifaceted and significant legacy of the Aaltos’ in church architecture.

More information on the exhibition: 

Mari Murtoniemi
Alvar Aalto Museum
+358 40 355 9162
mari.murtoniemi@alvaraalto.fi