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Archivbild Alvar Aalto Museum

Auf der Dachterrasse wurde nach Plan Frischluft getankt. • Fresh air therapy was once taken on the roof terrace.

Foto: Maija Holma © Alvar Aalto Museum

Das offene Geländer ermöglicht einen freien Ausblick. • An open balustrade offers unobstructed views. Das schmalflügelige Gebäude steht im dichten Kiefernwald. • The narrow-winged building stands in a pine forest.

colourful awnings and a landscaped garden were all intended to make long stays as Grundriss Erdgeschoss • Ground floor plan
pleasant as possible and to support recovery. As many patients lived there for years,
a strong sense of community developed, fostered by communal facilities and walking
paths through the surrounding forest. Besides the architecture, the Aaltos also desi-
gned the entire interior. They planned all of the fixtures and fittings, including lighting
and furniture. The Paimio Chair was created specifically for the sanatorium, its shape
designed to ease patients’ breathing. Unlike the tubular steel furniture of the Bauhaus,
it was made of wood – a warmer, softer and more comforting material thought to pro-
mote healing. Sadly, only one original chair from 1933 remains today. Many were sold
cheaply or discarded in the 1980s when they were considered outdated. By contrast,
many of the wardrobes in the patient rooms have survived, and the original curtains –
also designed by the Aaltos – can be seen in a largely preserved and restored section
of the building. These curtains have since been reissued by Artek, as has Aino Aalto’s
Side Table 606.In the 1940s, as tuberculosis began to be treated surgically, an operating
wing was added, also conceived by the Aaltos. With the rise of antibiotic treatments in
the 1950s, the sanatorium gradually lost its original function and was converted into
a general hospital in the early 1960s. Although the floor plans were altered, the key
architectural features and much of the interior design were preserved. The hospital
ceased operations in 2014, and since 2020 the complex has been owned by the Paimio
Sanatorium Foundation, which is dedicated to its preservation. Parts of the building are
open to visitors, and some rooms in the sanatorium wing can be booked for overnight
stays at around € 170 per night. Information: www.paimiosanatorium.com

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