BAKER HOUSE

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Title	BAKER HOUSE
View	Side view of the entry and general view of the paneled structure housing the stairway system
Notes	dwelling
Work Type	dormitory university residence
Style/Period	Modern
Creator Name	Aalto, Alvar
Creator Nationality	Finnish
Date.Creator Birth	1898
Date.Creator Death	1976
Major Design Aspects	site responsive undulating facade approachable from all sides innovative
Climate Type	cold temperate
Country	United States of America
City	Cambridge
State/Province	MA
Alternate Place Names	MIT campus, Boston
Architectural Material	brick
Dates	1947-1948
Century	20th century
Photographer	Scott Gilchrist, Archivision Inc.
Subject Information	Baker House, a student dormitory built by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto in 1948, is a landmark along the Charles River and is one of just two permanent structures by Aalto in the United States. / 'The site is located on a heavily-trafficked street along the Charles River. In order to avoid as much as possible the disturbing view out onto this street, a curved plan was chosen. By this means, no room was oriented at right angles to the street and its traffic. It is well known how much more tranquil it is to look, for example, from a diagonal line of sight out of the windows of a moving train at the passing landscape. An attempt to make use of this phenomenon was made with the form of the building: the windows face diagonally to the passing automobiles and thus afford a quieter environment for the person within the room. The stairway system is housed in a paneled structure rising up the north side of the building which allows an unobstructed view along its entire length from the lowest landing.' Source: Karl Fleig, ed. Alvar Aalto. Scarsdale, N.Y.: Wittenborn and Company, 1963. P 134 / 'Baker House was designed according to a new concept of student living, one in which the traditional dormitory became a more sensitive living environment for the student. The institutional type dormitory was discarded in favor of a self-contained unit that included lounging and recreational areas, terraces and garden walks, glass-enclosed dining areas, and private study-sleeping rooms. As a result of Baker House's 'W'-shaped design, dormitory rooms varied in size and shape, and commanded panoramic views of the Charles River Basin and the Boston skyline.' Source: http://web.mit.edu/museum/fun/architects.html
Credit Line	Archivision Inc. (all images copyright Scott Gilchrist / archivision.com)
Collection Title	Archivision (architecture, urban design, gardens, landscapes and public art)
Collection information	Collection administered by the Visual Resources manager, Architecture Library, (402) 472-1193

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