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Paimio Armchair
Iconic Designs

Paimio Armchair

About the Design

Created in 1932, the Paimio armchair, or Armchair 41, was intended to help people breathe easier. Finnish architect and furniture maker Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) — in collaboration with his first wife, Aino — designed a tuberculosis sanatorium and all of the facility’s furnishings, including the armchair, in the Finnish city of Paimio, after winning the commission in an architecture competition.

During the mid-to-late 1920s, Aalto was working with bentwood processes and producing resilient, easily storable furniture that could be tucked away when not in use. His pioneering efforts yielded malleable wood for shaping the material into sculptural furniture — stackable seating defined by sleek curved contours, such as the Stool 60 or the Paimio armchair, a masterpiece for which the Aaltos are widely known.

Paimio Sanatorium was constructed with functionalism in mind. The building and its furnishings were designed to house patients suffering from tuberculosis, a bacterial infection that primarily attacks the lungs. At the time (this was prior to the use of antibiotics), sanatorium staffers were focused on getting the afflicted outside in the sunshine and fresh air. As tuberculosis was considerably contagious and is spread from coughing and sneezing, the surfaces in the Aaltos' building had to be easily disinfected and aired-out. These concerns extended to the design of the Paimio armchair. 

For the chair’s frame, the couple opted to use Finland’s native birchwood, which is strong and inexpensive and felt warmer and more organic than the tubular steel found in similarly shaped pieces, like the Wassily chair designed by Marcel Breuer

The laminated wood loops to form the arms, legs and a pair of flat skids while its sculptural seat and back, built from a single piece of thin plywood, look as if they are suspended and are angled to support ailing sitters in their efforts to breathe. 

An integral part of the revolutionary building, the Aaltos' Paimio armchair earned the couple acclaim as furniture makers. Branded “the first soft wooden chair,” the project inspired countless other designers, among them Eero Saarinen and Charles and Ray Eames, in its simplicity and striking form. 

Artek, which the Aaltos helped cofound, currently manufactures and distributes Alvar and Aino's wood furniture designs, including many light fixtures and furniture from the Paimio Sanatorium.

Alvar Aalto Paimio Armchair

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Alvar Aalto, Padded Paimio 44 Lounge chair, Artek 1950s
By Alvar Aalto, Artek, Huonekalu-Ja Rakennustyötedas Oy
Located in Helsinki, FI
The famous Paimio lounge chair model 41, designed by Alvar Aalto for the Paimio Sanitarium. Manufactured by Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas Oy in t...
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Vintage 1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Lounge Chairs

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Metal

Alvar Aalto Model 83 Table and Model 66 Chairs
By Alvar Aalto
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A vintage model 83 dining table by Alvar Aalto for Artek made of Finnish Birch ply & 8 model 66 chairs in the same wood. This set is over 20 years old but the exact production date is unclear. There are no stamps or marks related to Artek but the build quality and features are enough to verify its authenticity. The condition of the set is good, the table and chairs are all very solid with minimal dents or chips. There are a couple of chairs showing signs of more use than others, however all seat conditions are visible in the photos provided. There is one small mark on the table top which has been pictured with regular house keys...
Category

Vintage 1970s British Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Sets

Materials

Birch, Plywood

Rare Armchair 'Small Paimio' Model 42 Designed by Alvar Aalto, Finland, 1932
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Stockholm, SE
Rare armchair 'Small Paimio' model 42 designed by Alvar Aalto, Finland, 1932. Painted birch veneer and bent plywood. Stamped. H: 61.5 cm W: 60.5 cm D: 78 cm SH: 37 cm A...
Category

Vintage 1930s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Birch, Plywood

Pair Alvar Aalto Paimio 41 Armchairs Chairs
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in New York, NY
Pair of Alvar Aalto "Paimio 41" armchairs / lounge chairs. The chairs are lacquered birch and bentwood.
Category

20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

Materials

Birch, Bentwood

Alvar Aalto Paimio Chair 41
By Alvar Aalto, Artek
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Stunning Paimio armchair 41 by Alvar Alto for Artek, in natural birch wood with black bentwood seat with venting slots. The laminated birch frame is...
Category

Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Paimio Chair by Alvar Aalto
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Long Island City, NY
Paimio Chair by Alvar Aalto, an authentic edition, chair #41, designed in 1941 by Alvar Aalto for Artek of Finland. A tour de force in bent...
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Alvar Aalto Model 31 Cantilevered Lounge Chair
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I believe this to be an early production chair in original somewhat worn finish. One of several designed by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto during time he was building a tuberculos...
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Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto Armchair 41 "Paimio" Produced by Artek, 1963
By Artek, Alvar Aalto
Located in Stockholm, SE
Produced 1963 by Artek, acquired new by previous owner. Designed by Alvar Aalto in 1932, Armchair 41 was created for the interior of a tuberculosis sanator...
Category

Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Alvar Aalto 31 Lounge Chair for the Paimio Sanitorium, Finland, 1931
By Alvar Aalto
Located in London, GB
Huonekalu-ja Rakennustyötehdas As an architect and designer, Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) should be celebrated for bringing Scandinavian modernism to global prominence. His sensitivity t...
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Vintage 1930s Finnish Modern Lounge Chairs

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Birch

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