Eero Saarinen

Eero Saarinen (1910-1961)An appreciation of the arts was instilled in Eero Saarinen at an early age. Born in Finland in 1910, Saarinen’s family immigrated to the United States when he was thirteen years old. His father was a famous architect who designed and taught at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, while his mother was a sculptor, photographer and weaver. Saarinen grew up within the community of the Cranbrook Academy, studying under his father as well as taking courses in sculpture and furniture design. It was here that Saarinen formed close relationships with fellow students Charles and Ray Eames and Florence Schust Knoll. Saarinen went on to study architecture at Yale, completing his studies in 1934; he then joined his father’s firm and became an instructor at Cranbrook. He began working with Charles and Ray Eames in the 1940s on a variety of furniture projects, as the designers shared a passion for organic shapes and cutting-edge materials, like plastics and plywood laminates. Eero Saarinen is perhaps best known as one of the most important post-war architects, although he did receive recognition for his furniture designs, most notably his “Tulip” and “Womb” chairs.