Nike SB Dunk High by BEYOND Inspired by the Legacy of Alvar Aalto

Nike and Helsinki based Beyond Store unveil a Nike SB Dunk High inspired by the legacy of Alvar Aalto. 

Nike and Beyond Store, introduce a special-edition Nike SB Dunk High inspired by the work of legendary Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto. Designed by Beyond stores owner Juho Haapala and Art Director Janne-Juhani Hyvärinen, the collaboration explores the unexpected connection between Aalto's pioneering architecture and the origins of modern skateboarding.

Developed in close collaboration with the Alvar Aalto Foundation, every aspect of the design reflects Aalto's architectural philosophy. The release also coincides with the nomination of the Aalto Works series, thirteen sites designed by Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto—for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

“The Beyond Dunk reminds us that the significance of the Aaltos' life work extends far beyond his own projects. Alvar Aalto was a pioneer of a modern architecture that embraced free-flowing forms and natural materials."

— Tommi Lindh, CEO, Alvar Aalto Foundation

From Jyväskylä to California: An Unexpected Skateboarding Legacy

The story behind the Beyond Dunk begins with Villa Mairea, a house designed by Alvar Aalto in 1939. Its freeform swimming pool is widely regarded as one of the earliest examples of the organic pool shapes that would later become synonymous with California's backyard culture.

In 1943, American landscape architect Thomas Church, Aalto's friend and contemporary visited Villa Mairea. Inspired by what he saw, Church introduced the freeform pool to California with the Donnell Garden in 1948, helping establish a design language that quickly spread throughout the region.

When drought struck California in the mid-1970s, thousands of empty backyard pools became the birthplace of modern pool skateboarding. Their flowing curves gave skateboarders entirely new terrain, creating the endless lines that continue to today, setting the foundation for modern skateboarding.

For Beyond Store, based in Aalto's hometown of Jyväskylä, that journey reflects how ideas travel across generations, disciplines and continents.

"Skateboarding, music and every form of creativity begin with inspiration. It's remarkable that Aalto designed the Villa Mairea pool, perhaps inspired by the lakes and landscapes of Central Finland and decades later those same flowing forms helped shape skateboarding on the other side of the world. They're all part of the same continuous story. That's what the Beyond Dunk represents."

— Juho Haapala, CEO, Beyond Store

Architecture Translated Into Design

The Beyond Dunk High interprets Aalto's design language through a restrained, timeless palette. The premium white leather upper reflects the simplicity and longevity of modernist design. A birch-toned Swoosh references Aalto's iconic bentwood furniture, while the outsole draws inspiration from the warm red brick used throughout many of his architectural works. The heel features a deep blue finish inspired by the glazed ceramic tiles found across several of Aalto's most celebrated buildings.

"Following Alvar Aalto's design philosophy, we wanted to create a minimalist sneaker that will feel as relevant decades from now as it does today. The white sneaker has remained timeless for more than fifty years—and we believe it will continue to be."

— Juho Haapala

About the Alvar Aalto Foundation

The Alvar Aalto Foundation preserves and promotes the material and intellectual legacy of architect and designer Alvar Aalto, working to expand awareness and appreciation of his work and ideas worldwide.