Alvar Aalto’s Eternal Shelf Life

If ever there’s doubt that something created in 1936 can look utterly modern in 2013, let Alvar Aalto dispel it once more and once more. The Finnish architect’s age-defying output of Artek armchairs, tables and lighting are familiar adequate, but his innate sense for reductive design and style was applied to a variety of less celebrated Artek accessories—including these wall-mounted shelves. Bearing Aalto’s penchant for marrying utilitarian simplicity with signature bent wood flourishes, the Artek Wall Shelf collection, like most of Aalto’s perform, appears to have no expiration date.