Paimio
Sanatorium

Warmly welcome to visit Alvar and Aino Aalto's architectural masterpiece.

Paimio Sanatorium is a key site of architecture, furniture design and innovation in Finland. It is also one of the most internationally renowned and significant Finnish buildings.

The Sanatorium represents humane architecture of well-being, a philosophy that continues to this day.

Spirit of Paimio

A platform for thinking, learning and doing.

Spirit of Paimio builds with optimism on Aalto’s heritage of future-making, his radical synthesis of architecture, nature and research, adding to it the knowledge, the networks, and the advocacy of today.

Latest news

04.09.2024

Finnish State Supports the Development of a New Use for Paimio Sanatorium

Since its establishment in 2020, the mission of the Paimio Sanatorium Foundation has been to identify a new, sustainable use for Alvar and Aino Aalto’s modernist masterpiece, closely aligned with its original role as a sanatorium. The project will move into the implementation planning phase with the support of the Finnish state.

28.07.2024

New ambient music festival Oden takes over the sanatorium grounds on the August 3rd

Paimio Sanatorium creates an ideal backdrop for the meditative and atmospheric soundscapes of Oden, as part of Paimio Summer events.

28.06.2024

Spirit of Paimio 2024 announces more speakers to the lineup

This year’s Spirit of Paimio conference will centre on the theme of Reimagining Community, highlighting the power of communities and togetherness. Building on the theme, the two day event on October 9-10 will have dialogues in addition to the keynote speeches, as part of the official programme.

Journal

Beauty as a therapeutic force

Joseph Grima has been the curator of the Paimio Sanatorium Foundation since 2023. What attracted the French-born architect and co-founder of internationally acclaimed design studio Space Caviar to the Finnish woods?

Paimio Sanatorium Artist Residency Diaries Vol.5

August residents are here. Meet the August residents and hear their thought about the residence.

Paimio Sanatorium Artist Residency Diaries Vol.4

Inspiration, uncharted waters, and community – The July residents discuss their work and experiences at the end of their three-week residency.

Paimio Sanatorium Artist Residency Diaries Vol.3

The second edition of Paimio Sanatorium's artist residency began in early July. The residents are now fully engaged in their work. Here are their thoughts on the residency and their upcoming projects.

Paimio Sanatorium Artist Residency Diaries Vol.2

The first residents of Paimio Sanatorium's artist residency stayed and worked at the sanatorium in June 2024. The architecture and design of the Sanatorium spoke loud and clear to all the residents.

Paimio Sanatorium Artist Residency Diaries

This summer, the Paimio Sanatorium Foundation offers a unique experience for artists from various fields through an international program. Now it’s time to meet our first summer residents, the class of June.

Alvar Aalto in MoMA

"If you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere." Aalto’s firs exhibition at MoMA was manifestation of modern movement on it’s pre-war peak.

Hans Ulrich Obrist in conversation with Juhani Pallasmaa

Two titans from the world of art and architecture talk about the urgency of animal architecture and rootedness in architecture and for humans, and choreography and cinematic features in Alvar Aalto’s work. Conversation was held in first Spirit of Paimio Conference in 2023.

Alvar Aalto – American Hero

In the darkest times of history Alvar Aalto found home for his optimism and humanism, but also next phase in his practice in America.

To Preserve not to Freeze

Lyndon Neri talks about toleration of disharmony, nostalgia as architectural practice and reflective nostalgia as new way of preserving in Spirit of Paimio 2023 Conference.

Discussions for Emerging New Worlds

What do we mean when we talk about a destination? And how does a place become a destination? These and many more questions were tackled at the seminar organised by the Paimio Sanatorium on June 9th, second in a series of seminars titled “Discussions for Emerging New Worlds”.

The Architecture of Empathy

Can a building spark joy? Paimio Sanatorium – originally designed by young Finnish architects Aino and Alvar Aalto in 1929-1933 – offers an inspiring journey into a functionalist landmark of wellbeing well ahead of its time.