Forest urbanism: spatial analysis of the forest-dwelling integration in Alvar Aalto’s plan for Imatra

Source abstract

The integration of urban dwellings and the forest proposed by Alvar Aalto is regaining attention, especially in relation to unbridled global urbanization and its impacts on the socio-ecological environment. Aalto’s approach fosters a deeper connection with nature in everyday life and is credited with significant physiological and psychological benefits for residents. Various scholarly works have explored Aalto’s forest-inspired methods in architecture and design, but there has been a distinct lack of research on the quantitative spatial integration of dwellings and forests within his planning concepts. This study aims to bridge that gap through a detailed four-level spatial analysis of how dwellings are integrated with forests in Aalto’s General Town Plan of Imatra (1947-53), a key project from his mature period. Based on the findings, the plan has a significant level of spatial integration, characterized by factors such as mixing degree, adjacency, proximity, and accessibility between residential areas and surrounding forests. These outcomes illuminate Aalto’s consistent application of his forest-centric philosophy across different design fields. The lessons learned from Aalto can inspire new urban development patterns that favour residents’ access to and interaction with urban forests, ultimately enhancing residents’ connection to the natural environment.