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Hallway Armchair
Iconic Designs

Hallway Armchair

About the Design

A classic modernist masterpiece conceived by Finnish architects and designers Alvar and Aino Aalto (1898–1976; 1894–1949) in 1932, the Hallway armchair is lightweight, slender and perhaps above all, comfortable. While it has since been coveted by collectors for use in nearly any room in the house, the chair was originally part of the furnishings for the Paimio Sanatorium — a facility that treated tuberculosis patients, tucked away in a dense pine forest in the rural Finnish city of Paimio. The Aaltos secured the commission to design the sanatorium as well as its furniture, washbasins, clocks and more as a result of winning an architecture competition. Like the other designs on the sanatorium grounds, the Hallway chair’s most prominent attributes — its sturdy simplicity and easily stackable frame — represent Alvar Aalto’s pursuit of humanizing objects through the optimization of both form and function.

Although the couple had no previous experience in designing a hospital, the Aaltos were careful to select colors and materials that would play a role in establishing a comforting, healing environment but also serve specific purposes. The Hallway armchair’s frame is made of solid birchwood, a material favored by Finnish designers, and the seat shell is pressed birch veneer finished with clear lacquer. Its lacquer coating was chosen for its hygienic quality, as it could be easily wiped clean — an essential quality in any hospital, but in the case of battling a very contagious respiratory disease, such considerations were critical.

From light fixtures and colors of the balcony rails to the innovative and sculptural Paimio armchair, the Aaltos’ work at the facility aligned with Alvar’s principle of functionalism, which has now come to be known as “organic modernism.” He concerned himself with the relationship between design and the physical and cultural landscape it occupied. The sanatorium’s furniture was warm and unadorned, and the space itself offered a wealth of common areas and welcomed copious sunlight (early TB treatment prioritized fresh air and sunshine).

The Hallway chair was manufactured by Finmar and garnered acclaim and attention around the world, with the Museum of Modern Art featuring it in a show titled “Alvar Aalto: Architecture and Furniture” in 1938.

Alvar Aalto Hallway Armchair

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Early Alvar Aalto Hallway Armchair in Red Lacquer Finish
By Alvar Aalto, Finmar
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A striking Model 403 Hallway Chair in red lacquer finish, designed by Alvar Aalto for the Paimio Sanitorium, later issued by Finmar. The armchair showcases a fluid design, with a gra...
Category

Vintage 1940s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Chairs

Materials

Birch

Vintage Model 403 Hallway Chair by Alvar Aalto for Artek, Set of 2
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Cape Town, WC
The Model 403, or Hallway Chair, is a stackable chair originally designed for a Finnish medical centre in 1932. Finnish modernism finds its structural motif in the form of the Model ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Armchairs

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30's alvar aalto 403 hallway chair painted white
By Alvar Aalto
Located in 東御市, JP
The early 403 was characterized by making the best use of the flexibility of the pre-wood, without the bearing surface on the cross. This is an individual that has been painted in...
Category

Vintage 1930s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Armchairs

Materials

Birch

Pair of Vintage Upholstered Hallway Chairs 54/404 by Alvar Aalto, Circa 1950s
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Surrey, GB
A stunning pair of stackable Alvar Aalto chair 54/404, a padded variant of hallway chair 403 designed in 1932. Very good vintage condition. Dimen...
Category

20th Century Finnish Mid-Century Modern Chairs

Materials

Upholstery, Birch

Alvar & Aino Aalto Birch “Hallway” Chair for Finsven, 1947
By Alvar Aalto
Located in Coronado, CA
Alvar and Aino Aalto's furniture reemerged from post war Europe on February 11, 1947 with the grand opening of Finsven, an importer with a small showroom at 925 Madison Ave, New York. This "Hallway Chair...
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Vintage 1940s Finnish Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs

Materials

Birch

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