Chapter 3 | The Building of Paimio SanatoriumMarked as a standard, a drawing dated April 28, 1932 of the patient room wardrobe
illustrated the general appearance of the final design.^821 The drawing already featured
the idea behind the wooden structure, which made essentially for a “frameless” wardrobe.
In the fourth drawing, the design of the metal wardrobe was also marked as a standard.
As such, the schematic drawing was not ready for execution. The structure of the wardrobe
had been simplified and, for example, the angle irons have been abandoned. The straight
door was placed in the front of the wardrobe. The door panel and the side of the metal
wardrobe were reinforced with metal sheets. The sides of the wardrobe slanted, marking
the designers attempt to depart from the traditional rectangular design.^822 This was an
alternative to the wooden wardrobe.
The starting point for offers invited was possibly Lauri Sipilä’s drawing of a
wooden wardrobe, dated May 17, in which the back and bottom panel were made of
double-layer and the sides of single-layer plywood some eight millimetres thick. The
metal parts, the coat rails and brackets and the legs, were nickel plated. The wardrobe
had been specified to be painted with first-class enamel paint both inside and outside.
All shelves were perforated. The legs made of flat bar iron were shaped to form a
circular shape to align with the curving shape of the skirting board.^823
The offers were addressed to Aalto. Three offers by furniture manufacturing companies
were placed on time on May 18, and one after the offer period closed. N. Boman offered
to manufacture the wardrobes for the price of FIM 625 each,^824 while Huonekalutehdas
ja Sorvimo quoted FIM 1,150^825 and Laaksosen Huonekalutehdas FIM 650 per item.
The offer of the latter also included an alternative method of manufacturing, by which the
wardrobes would have painted legs, the straight sides would be at a slanted angle and the
front corner rounded, priced FIM 75 lower.^826 The quotation from Huonekalu- ja Raken-
nustyötehdas (Furniture and Building Work Factory), headed by Otto Korhonen, arrived a
week later than those of the others and it offered to manufacture the wardrobes as specified
for a lower price than the others. The price of an ordinary wardrobe manufactured at the
factory was FIM 520 and the factory’s own standard model was priced at FIM 450–510,
depending on the details. Moreover, one of the standard wardrobes had been delivered
to the sanatorium for appraisal.^827 It is likely that during the week between May 17 and
23 that Korhonen’s offer was delayed, the factory together with Aalto was taking pains to
produce a sample wardrobe. The processing of the matter continued. J. Merivaara furniture
manufacturing company was also invited to submit an offer on the wardrobes, which it did.
821 Drawing No. 50-189. AAM.
822 Drawing No. 50-210. AAM.
823 Drawing No. 50-244. AAM.
824 An offer of the N. Boman limited trade company to Alvar Aalto related to the Sanatorium of Southwest Finland,
May 17, 1932. Documents related to the Paimio Sanatorium project. AAM.
825 Manufacturer Huonekalutehdas and Sorvimo’s (Furniture Factory and Turnery) offer to the Sanatorium of the South-
west Finland signed by Emil Hongisto, May 18, 1932. Documents related to the Paimio Sanatorium project. AAM.
826 A cost estimate from Laaksosen Huonekalutehdas Oy (Laaksonen Furniture Factory), signed by K. Laaksonen,
dated on May 18, 1932. Documents related to the Paimio Sanatorium project. AAM.
827 A letter from Huonekalu- ja Rakennustyötehdas to Alvar Aalto, dated May 23, 1932. Documents related to the
Paimio Sanatorium project. AAM.