Born:
August 20, 1910 in Kirkkonummi, Finland
Died:
During surgery on September 1, 1961 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Eero Saarinen was 51.
Childhood of Eero Saarinen:
Eero Saarinen's father, Eliel Saarinen, was a prominent architect. In 1923, when Eero was 13, the family moved to the United States. Eliel Saarinen became the first president of the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, where he also taught. Eero Saarinen studied under his father and befriended fellow students Charles and Ray Eames.
Education of Eero Saarinen:
- Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan
- Académie de la Grande Chaumiére in Paris, studied sculpture, 1929-1930
- Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Architecture degree completed in 1934
- Traveled in Europe on scholarship, 1934-1935
Early Career of Eero Saarinen:
Eero Saarinen began his career designing furniture in collaboration with Charles Eames. Their work was featured in the 1940 exhibition "Organic Design in Home Furnishings" at the The Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Famous Buildings by Eero Saarinen:
- 1946-1956: General Motors Technical Center, Warren, Michigan
- 1955-1957: Milwaukee County War Memorial Center
- 1957: Miller House, Columbus, Indiana
- 1958: IBM Manufacturing and Training Facility
- 1958: David S. Ingalls Rink, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- 1958-1962: Washington Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, Virginia
- 1961-1966: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, Missouri
- 1956-1962: TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport, New York, NY
- 1961: Morse and Stiles Colleges, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
- 1963: Deer and Company Administrative Center
Other Works by Eero Saarinen:
Eero Saarinen was also a product designer. He designed furniture with curving, organic shapes. Examples include the "Tulip" chair and a collection of Pedestal tables (see pictures and compare prices). Saarinen said the objective of these furniture designs was to clear the "slum of legs" from home interiors.
Learn More About Eero Saarinen:
Whether designing furniture, airports, or grand monuments, Eero Saarinen was famous for innovative, sculptural forms. Some works, like the steel and glass General Motors Technical Center, are stark examples of the International Style. However, Saarinen's most famous works, like the TWA Terminal at Kennedy Airport, are sweeping and expressive. Eero Saarinen is often cited as a master of Neo-expressionism.
The world's largest and most comprehensive collection of Eero Saarinen's papers may be found in the Yale University Sterling Memorial Library Manuscripts and Archives. Saarinen's colleague Kevin Roche donated the firm's collection of Saarinen's original drawings, correspondence, photographs, and other materials. Saarinen's wife, Aline Saarinen, gave the library many papers and personal records.
