Architect Alvar Aalto was born on February 3, 1898, in Finland. He passed away on May 11, 1976.
He studied architecture at the Helsinki University of Technology from 1916 to 1921, and opened his own architectural firm in 1923. His Paimio Sanatorium, which won first prize in a design competition in 1928, sparked the rise of modernist architecture in Scandinavia. The undulating, wavy ceiling of the Viipuri Library was created using traditional Finnish wood. The use of curves and wood became part of his style.
In 1935, Aalto and three others founded the furniture manufacturer Artek. Their furniture, lighting fixtures, and glassware, with their natural forms that blend into any space, are still beloved around the world, more than 70 years after their founding. He is particularly known for his chairs and tables, made using a unique method that applies the traditional Finnish "bending" technique, and they were featured in the 2006 film "Seagull Diner." Last October, an installation commemorating the 80th anniversary of the birth of the Stool 60 was held at Dover Street Maquette Ginza.

After the war, he served as a visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1946 to 1948, and was involved in the design of MIT dormitories, the reconstruction of war-torn towns, and the urban design of Otaniemi. He died in Helsinki in 1976.

Aalto's design philosophy has also influenced the fashion industry, and FACTOTUM's 2014 Spring/Summer collection featured graphic items with wave patterns inspired by him.