Eero Saarinen (1910 –1961) was a Finnish-American architect, born in Kirkkonummi, Finland on August 20, 1910, the same day as his father, to acclaimed Finish Architect Eliel Saarinen (1873-1950) and Sculptress Loja Gesellius Saarinen. Saarinen (Jr.) spent the first 12 years of his life in Finland, constantly surrounded by strong creative influences. While he, his older sister Pipsan, and his parents lived in Finland, his parents would regularly entertain artists, musicians, sculptors, professional architects, and several other intellectuals including names such as composers Jean Sibelius, and Gustav Mahler, art critic Juius Meier-Graefe, writer Maxim Gorki, and sculptor Carl Milles. In 1923, he and his family, moved to the United States, following
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However, having been “brought up underneath his father’s drafting table,” Saarinen (Jr.) felt compelled to follow in his father’s footsteps, and pursue a career in architecture. Not only did Saarinen adopt his father’s career path, he adopted a large number of his principles and attributes as well, such as his ambition, talent, diligence, respect for fine craftsmanship, belief in the interrelations of the arts, and profound respect for nature. Needless to say Saarinen (Sr.) had a very strong influence on Saarinen’s (Jr.) direction and drive, in fact he later stated that “it never occurred to [him] to do anything but follow in [his] father’s footsteps.” His father’s influence was the driving force behind Saarinen’s (Jr.) choice to study at Yale University’s School of Architecture, where he graduated from in 1934 with Bachelors in Fine Arts. Following his graduation Saarinen (Jr.) was awarded the Charles O. Matcham fellowship, a grant that allowed him to visit Italy, Egypt, Palestine, Greece, Germany, Sweden, and eventually his home country of Finland, where he spent the year 1936 working with Architect Jarl Eklund to rebuild the Swedish Play House in …show more content…
Though he would later join his father as an architect and teacher, Saarinen’s (Jr.) collaboration with his father began years prior to the birth of their professional relationship. In fact, the first work Eero collaborated on with his father were the furnishings for Cranbrook School for Boys in Bloom Field Hills, Michigan in 1925, a project which his father had originally designed. He worked with his father on the project, as he did with many projects throughout the rest of his life. The furnishings were not completed until 1931. During his early career the majority of Saarinen’s (jr.) work focused on this type of furniture design, some additional instances of this early work with furniture are the Saarinen house furnishings, started in 1928 and completed in 1930, and the Kingswood School for Girls furnishings started in 1929 and completed in 1931. In each of these instances Saarinen (jr.) collaborated with his father, who was Saarinen’s (Jr.) harshest critic, most influential instructor, and toughest competition. As a result of struggling to escape from his father’s shadow Saarinen (jr.) developed both incredibly high standards for him self as well as an intensely competitive
However, having been “brought up underneath his father’s drafting table,” Saarinen (Jr.) felt compelled to follow in his father’s footsteps, and pursue a career in architecture. Not only did Saarinen adopt his father’s career path, he adopted a large number of his principles and attributes as well, such as his ambition, talent, diligence, respect for fine craftsmanship, belief in the interrelations of the arts, and profound respect for nature. Needless to say Saarinen (Sr.) had a very strong influence on Saarinen’s (Jr.) direction and drive, in fact he later stated that “it never occurred to [him] to do anything but follow in [his] father’s footsteps.” His father’s influence was the driving force behind Saarinen’s (Jr.) choice to study at Yale University’s School of Architecture, where he graduated from in 1934 with Bachelors in Fine Arts. Following his graduation Saarinen (Jr.) was awarded the Charles O. Matcham fellowship, a grant that allowed him to visit Italy, Egypt, Palestine, Greece, Germany, Sweden, and eventually his home country of Finland, where he spent the year 1936 working with Architect Jarl Eklund to rebuild the Swedish Play House in …show more content…
Though he would later join his father as an architect and teacher, Saarinen’s (Jr.) collaboration with his father began years prior to the birth of their professional relationship. In fact, the first work Eero collaborated on with his father were the furnishings for Cranbrook School for Boys in Bloom Field Hills, Michigan in 1925, a project which his father had originally designed. He worked with his father on the project, as he did with many projects throughout the rest of his life. The furnishings were not completed until 1931. During his early career the majority of Saarinen’s (jr.) work focused on this type of furniture design, some additional instances of this early work with furniture are the Saarinen house furnishings, started in 1928 and completed in 1930, and the Kingswood School for Girls furnishings started in 1929 and completed in 1931. In each of these instances Saarinen (jr.) collaborated with his father, who was Saarinen’s (Jr.) harshest critic, most influential instructor, and toughest competition. As a result of struggling to escape from his father’s shadow Saarinen (jr.) developed both incredibly high standards for him self as well as an intensely competitive