Eero Saarinen

one of my drawings, interior Stone St including Knoll chairs

Ross gave me a book about the architect/designer, Eero Saarinen as he knows I am very fond of Scandinavian and mid century design.  It is so interesting to learn about one person and find there are many connections between this person and other wonderful designers as well as my own place and life.

Saarinen was born in Finland and immigrated to the US when he was 13.  His father was an architect and his mother a textile designer.  His dad worked at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan and  Eero attended this school  studying sculpture and furniture design.  When at this academy he became good friends with a number of people who went on to become very important in the world of design.  Ray and Charles Eames, Hans and Florence Knoll,  Alexander Girard and Saarinen were all great friends from the early days and worked together as well as in competition with each other.

Saarinen studied sculpture in Paris and then went to Yale, receiving a degree in architecture.  He became one of the most important architects and designers in  post WWII world.  He had something to do with Australia too.  Saarinen was on the second jury to decide which design to use for the Sydney Opera House.  The first jury had discarded Jorn Utzon’s design.  He reviewed the discarded designs and recognized it’s quality.  Saarinen’s recognition of Utzon’s clever and beautiful building ideas went on to Utzon winning the commission.  The Opera House is an iconic building on our harbour and we are pretty proud of it.
Saarinen produced many beautiful furniture designs including tulip tables, tulip chairs and womb chairs.  His public buildings are world renown. 

Saarinen’s friend Hans Knoll founded the furniture manufacturing company, Knoll Furniture and this company produced Saarinen furniture.  Friend’s Charles and Ray Eames were extremely well known designers and they worked with Saarinen at times.  Friend Alexander Girard produced  textile designs which were used on Saarinen and Eames furniture. 

Now, for my 2 degrees of separation, not between the man, Eero Saarinen but between the designs/designers.  His friends Ray and Charles Eames produced a huge number of wonderful things.... I have one of their tables.  Saarinen's friends Hans and Florence Knoll had a furniture company... I have two of their chairs.  His friend Alexander Girard, also a designer and maker of neat things...I have one of his dolls.

I hope to one day have a little Saarinen tulip table.........................maybe with a white marble top.