Paimio chair

Designer: Alvar Aalto

c. 1932

Laminated birch, bent plywood

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A bentwood armchair with a curved, salmon-pink seat and backrest, supported by a lighter wood frame. The chair is shown against a plain white background. A bentwood armchair with a curved, salmon-pink seat and backrest, supported by a lighter wood frame. The chair is shown against a plain white background. Alvar Aalto, an architect and designer, is perhaps best known today for his furniture. He designed this relaxing armchair for the Paimio Tuberculosis Sanatorium in southwest Finland. One of his earliest designs, it uses laminated birch, an uncommon material for furniture at the time. The chair was extremely strong, comfortable, and attractive, and could be inexpensively and easily manufactured. It is still produced by Artek, the company founded by Aalto and three partners. Gallery