Rimt college of architecture

presentation on eero

1. RIMT-COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE PRESENTATION ON AR. EERO SAARINEN SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY: BHAVYA SAHNI AKANSHA(02) ANGADVEER(05) ARPIT MEHTA(08) DIKSHA CHUGH(15) ISHMINDER(37)

2. INTRODUCTION Eero Saarinen (August 20, 1910) was a  Finnish American architect  and  industrial designer  of the 20th century famous for shaping. Eero Saarinen, the son of Finnish architect  Eliel Saarinen and his second wife, Louise, was born on his father's 37th birthday, August 20, 1910 .  They immigrated to the United States of America in 1923, when Eero was thirteen. He grew up in  Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where his father was a teacher at the  Cranbrook Academy of Art  and he took courses in sculpture and furniture design there . Bloomfield Hills, Cranbrook Academy Michigan of Art Beginning in September 1929, he studied sculpture at the  Academi de la Grande Chaumiere  in Paris, France .  He then went on to study at the Yale School of Architecture, completing his studies in 1934. 

3. He became a naturalized citizen  of the United States in 1940 . Saarinen was recruited by  Donal McLaughlin, an architectural school friend from his Yale days, to join the military service in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Saarinen was assigned to draw illustrations for bomb disassembly manuals and to provide designs for the Situation Room in the White House. Saarinen worked full-time for the OSS until 1944 . After his father's death in 1950, Saarinen founded his own architect's office, " Eero Saarinen and Associates ". PERSONAL LIFE : Saarinen had two children, Eric and Susan, from his marriage to sculptor Lilian Swann Saarinen, whom he married in 1939. Following their divorce in 1953, he married  Aline Bernstein Louchheim  (March 25, 1914 – July 13, 1972), an art critic at  The New York Times , in 1954. They had a son, Eames .

4. REPUTATION: Eero Saarinen was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1952 . He is also a winner of the AIA Gold Medal in 1962. Saarinen is now considered one of the masters of American 20th-century architecture .  There has been a surge of interest in Saarinen's work in recent years, including a major exhibition and several books because Saarinen's work can be said to fit in with present-day concerns. He was criticized in his own time—for having no identifiable style;Saarinen adapted his  neofuturistic  vision to each individual client and project, which were never exactly the same. DEATH: Saarinen died in Ann Arbor, MI while overseeing the completion of a new music building for the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. He died while undergoing an operation for a brain tumor at the age of 51. His wife Aline , coincidentally, would die of the same ailment. His partners, Kevin Roche and  John Dinkeloo , completed his 10 remaining projects, including the St. Louis Arch.

5. DESIGN PHILOSOPHY AND STYLES Eero learned to appreciate the symbiotic relationship between individuals and communities and came to know that interests of both must be carefully considered in design process. He developed a remarkable range which depended on colour , form and material. He showed a marked dependence on innovative structures and sculptural forms but not at the cost of pragmatic considerations. He utilize a vocabulary of curves and cantilever forms. INTERNATIONAL STYLES- Unornamented style that emphasized geometric shapes viewing it as architecture for the modern age, utilizing new construction techniques and materials. Flat roof, asymmetrical and with bands of window set into a rectangular form .

6. DESIGN PHILOSOPHY AND STYLES CLASSICAL ECLECTICISM- Classical eclecticism rejected irregularity and seeks to restore, unity and restraint to architecture and interiors. Its four main styles emulate past examples and display monumental planning while using contemporary materials: Beaux Arts: Symmetry, rustication, smooth upper storeys , Advancing and receding planes, columns, dramatic skylines.

7. ( b) Neo renaissance: Large in scale, rectangular block forms, rusticated lower stories, arched openings, quoning , flat or low pitched roofs. ( c) Chateauesque : Vertical and picturesque, asymmetry, smooth stone walls, Pointed arch openings, pinnacles. (d) Neoclassical revival: Rusticated basements, flat roof, symmetry, greek order, columns and pilasters, limited ornament.

8. Works of Ar.Eero S arrienen

9. GATEWAY ARCH Building in St. Louis, Missouri Location : 100 Washington Avenue , St. Louis, Missouri,   United States Construction : February 12, 1963; 52 years started ago Completed : October  28, 1965; 49 years ago. Inaugurated : May  25, 1968; 47 years ago Height : 630 feet Architectural style: Structural expressionism Added to NRHP : May 28, 1987 Added to NHL : May 28, 1987

10. INTRODUCTION: The   Gateway Arch  is a 630-foot (192 m) monument in St. Louis in the U.S. state of Missouri. Clad in stainless steel and built in the form of an inverted, weighted catenary  arch ,  it is the world's tallest  arch , the tallest monument in the Western Hemisphere, and  Missouri's tallest accessible building .   It is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and has become an internationally famous symbol of St. Louis. The arch sits at the site of St. Louis' founding on the west bank of the Mississippi River . The Gateway Arch was designed in $13 million  (equivalent to $180 million in 2013). The monument opened to the public on June 10, 1967. BACKGROUND: Inception and early funding (1933–1935 ): Around late 1933, civic leader Luther Ely Smith, returning to St. Louis from the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Vincennes, Indiana, saw the St. Louis riverfront area and envisioned that building a memorial there would both revive the riverfront and stimulate the economy .  He communicated his idea to mayor Bernard Dickmann , who on December 15, 1933, raised it in a meeting with city leaders. They sanctioned the proposal, and the nonprofit Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Association (JNEMA—pronounced "Jenny May ")was formed. Smith was appointed chairman and Dickmann vice chairman. The association's goal was to create :

11. A suitable and permanent public memorial to the men who made possible the western territorial expansion of the United States , and thereby to bring before the public of this and future generations the history of our development and induce familiarity with the patriotic accomplishments of these great builders of our country . The association expected that $30 million would be needed to undertake the construction of such a monument . The suggestion to renew the riverfront was not original, as previous projects were attempted but lacked popularity. The Jefferson memorial idea emerged amid the economic disarray of the Great Depression and promised new jobs .  The project was expected to create 5,000 jobs for three to four years . Meanwhile, in December, the JNEMA discussed organizing an architectural competition to determine the design of the monument. Local architect Louis Le Beaume had drawn up competition guidelines by January 1935 .  On April 13, 1935, the commission certified JNEMA's project proposals, including memorial perimeters, the "historical significance" of the memorial, the competition, and the $30 million budget

12. Design competition (1945–1948 ) T he steel monument one sees today—carbon steel on the interior, stainless steel on the exterior, and concrete in-filling, with an equilateral-triangle-shaped section that tapers from 54 to 17 feet at the top, and the concept of a skin that is also structure—is in essence [Saarinen's] competition design . Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future , 2006 In November 1944, Smith discussed with Newton Drury, the National Park Service Director, the design of the memorial , "one central feature: a single shaft, a building, an arch, or something else that would symbolize American culture and civilization .“ They planned to award cash for the best design. Saarinen's team included himself as designer, J. Henderson Barr as associate designer, and Dan Kiley as landscape architect, as well as Lily Swann Saarinen as sculptor and Alexander Girard as painter. In the first stage of the competition, Carl Milles advised Saarinen to change the bases of each leg to triangles instead of squares. Saarinen said that he "worked at first with mathematical shapes, but finally adjusted it according to the eye." At submission, Saarinen's plans laid out the arch at 509 feet (155 m) tall and 592 feet (180 m) wide from center to center of the triangle bases .

13. Saarinen changed the height of the arch from 580 feet to 630 feet (190  m) . He wanted the landscape surrounding the arch to "be so densely covered with trees that it will be a forest-like park, a green retreat from the tension of the downtown city”. The placement of the five sets of railroad tracks into a shortened tunnel 100 feet west of the trestle , with the tracks being lowered sixteen feet . This did not mean that the memorial would be cut off from the river, however, for Saarinen provided a 960-foot-long (290 m) tunnel to be placed over the railroad where a "grand staircase " rose from the levee to the Arch. At the north and south ends of the park, 150-foot tunnels spanned the tracks, and led to the overlook museum, restaurant, and stairways down to the levee. Saarinen designed a subterranean visitor center the length of the distance between the legs, to include two theaters and an entrance by inward-sloping ramps . On March 10, 1959, mayor Raymond Tucker proposed that they drop "the tunnel idea in favor of open cuts roofed with concrete slabs”.

14. Zoning, start of railroad move, and appropriation (1959–1968 ) In April 1959, real estate developer Lewis Kitchen decided to construct two 40-level edifices across from the arch. In July, after the plan was condemned for its potential obstruction of the arch, Kitchen discussed the issue with officials. A decision was delayed for several months because Saarinen had yet to designate the arch's height, projected between 590 and 630 feet (180 and 190 m). By October, Mayor Tucker and Director Wirth resolved to restrict the height of buildings opposite the arch to 275 feet (84 m) (about 27 levels), and the city stated that plans for buildings opposite the arch would require its endorsement. Kitchen then decreased the height of his buildings, while Saarinen increased that of the arch . Moving the railroad tracks was the first stage of the project. On May 6, 1959, after an official conference, the Public Service Commission called for ventilation to accompany the tunnel's construction, which entailed "placing 3,000 feet of dual tracks into a tunnel 105 feet west of the elevated railroad, along with filling, grading, and trestle work”.

15. Construction The bidding date, originally December 20, 1961, was postponed to January 22, 1962, to clarify the details of the arch construction . In 1959, ground was broken ,  and in 1961, the foundation of the structure was laid .  Construction of the arch itself began on February 12, 1963, as the first steel triangle on the south leg was eased into place. These steel triangles, which narrowed as they spiraled to the top, were raised into place by a group of cranes and  derricks. The arch was assembled of 142-foot-long (3.7 m)  prefabricated stainless steel sections. Once in place, each section had its double-walled skin filled with concrete,  prestressed  with 252 tension bars . In order to keep the partially completed legs steady, a scissors truss was placed between them at 530 feet (160 m), later removed as the derricks were taken down .  The whole endeavor was expected to be completed by fall 1964, in observance of St. Louis' bicentennial . Contractor MacDonald Construction Co. arranged a 30-foot (9.1 m) tower for spectators  and provided recorded accounts of the undertaking. In 1963, a million people went to observe the progress, and by 1964, local radio stations began to broadcast when large slabs of steel were to be raised into place . The project manager of MacDonald Construction Co., Stan Wolf, said that a 62-story building was easier to build than the arch: "In a building, everything is straight up, one thing on top of another. In this arch, everything is curved ."

16. * President  Lyndon B. Johnson and Mayor Alfonso J. Cervantes decided on a date for the topping out ceremony , but the arch had not been completed by then. The ceremony date was reset to October 17, 1965, and workers strained to meet the deadline, taking double shifts, but by October 17, the arch was still not complete . *  On October 28, the arch was topped out. * A Catholic priest and a rabbi prayed over the keystone ,  a 10-short-ton (9.1 t), eight-foot-long (2.4 m) triangular section . * T hermal expansion had constricted the 8.5-foot (2.6 m) gap at the top  by 5 inches (13 cm ).To mitigate this, workers used fire hoses to spray water on the surface of the south leg to cool it down  and make it contract .  The keystone was inserted in 13 minutes ,  only 6 inches (15 cm) remained. For the next section, a hydraulic jack had to pry apart the legs six feet (1.8 m). The last section was left only 2.5 feet (0.76 m ).  By 12:00 p.m., the keystone was secured .  Some filmmakers, in hope that the two legs would not meet, had chronicled every phase of construction . The arch's visitor center opened on June 10, 1967, and the tram began operating on July 24 .

17. LIGHTING In July 1998, funding for an arch lighting system at night was approved by St. Louis' Gateway Foundation. In January 1999, MSNBC arranged a temporary lighting system for the arch so the monument could be used as the background for a visit by  Pope John Paul II . Since November 2001, the arch has been bathed in white light between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. via a system of floodlights .  Designed by Randy Burkett, it comprises 44 lighting fixtures situated in four pits just below ground level . Visitor center The 70,000-square-foot (6,500 m 2 ) center is located directly below the arch ,  between its legs. Although construction on the visitor center began at the same time as construction for the arch itself. Access to the visitor center is provided through ramps adjacent to each leg of the arch. The center houses offices, mechanical rooms, and waiting areas for the arch trams, as well as its main attractions: the Museum of Westward Expansion and two theaters displaying films about the arch.

18. Observation area Near the top of the Arch, passengers exit the tram compartment and climb a slight grade to enter the observation area. This arched deck, 65 feet (20 m) long and 7 feet (2.1 m) wide ,  can hold about 160 people, four trams' worth .  Sixteen windows per side, each measuring 7 by 27 inches (180 mm × 690 mm), offer views up to 30 miles (48 km ).  to the east across the Mississippi River and southern Illinois with its prominent Mississippian culture mounds at Cahokia Mounds, and to the west over the city of St . Louis and St. Louis County beyond . Modes of ascension: There are three modes of transportation up the arch: two sets of 1,076-step emergency stairs (one in each leg ),  a 12-passenger elevator to the 372-foot (113 m) height ,  and a tram in each leg . Each tram is a chain of eight cylindrical, five-seat compartments  with a small window on the doors .  As each tram has a capacity of 40 passengers and there are two trams, 80 passengers can be transported at one time, with trams departing from the ground every 10 minutes .  The cars swing like Ferris-wheel cars as they ascend and descend the arch .  This fashion of movement gave rise to the idea of the tram as "half-Ferris wheel and half-elevator ."  The trip to the top takes four minutes ,  and the trip down takes three minutes .

19. Awards and recognitions In 1966, the arch was given a Special Award for Excellence from the American Institute of Steel Construction for being "an outstanding achievement in technology and aesthetics. "On February 9, 1967, the arch received the Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award of 1967 from the American Society of Civil Engineers. The arch was once among  Travel + Leisure ' ​s unofficial rankings for the most-visited attraction in the world, after Lenin's Tomb, Disney World, Disneyland, and the Eiffel Tower .   On February 22, 1990 ,  the arch received the American Institute of Architects' (AIA) Twenty-Five Year Award  for its "enduring significance that has withstood the test of time." It was declared "a symbolic bridge between East and West, past and future, engineering and art" that "embodies the boundless optimism of a growing nation ."  In 2007, the arch was ranked fourteenth on the AIA's "America's Favorite Architecture" list . Maintenance Repair damage from vandalism. The arch was first targeted by graffiti artists on March 5, 1969 . In 2010, signs of corrosion were reported at the upper regions of the stainless steel surface. Carbon steel in the north leg has been rusting, possibly a result of water accumulation, a side effect of leaky  welds in an environment that often causes rain inside. Maintenance workers use mops  and a temporary setup of water containers to ease the problem .  According to NPS documents, the corrosion and rust pose no safety concerns.

20. NORTH CHRISTIAN CHURCH COLUMBUS,INDIANA Location : 850 Tipton LN, Columbus, Indiana Architectural Style: Modern Modernism in architecture Landscape architecture Added to NRHP : 16 May 2000 Added to NHL : 16 May 2000

21. INTRODUCTION The  North Christian Church  is a church in Columbus, Indiana. Founded in 1955, The church building of 1964 was designed by Finnish-American architect  Eero Saarinen (1910–1961) and completed in 1964. Saarinen's father  Eliel Saarinen had designed the First Christian Church in Columbus. The building is hexagonal in shape, with a central metal spire which is 192 feet (59 m) high .  Below the spire, there is an oculus that admits light into the main level. The sanctuary is located at the center of the building, with the altar located in the center of the sanctuary. Rows of pews surround the altar in a hexagon, reflecting the idea that worship should be a central aspect of the life of the congregation. The lower level contains classrooms, an auditorium, a kitchen and an activities area. History In 1955, 43 members of the First Christian Church, designed by  Eliel Saarinen, decided to found a new church affiliated with the Disciples of Christ . After some time of worshiping in each other’s homes, in 1956 they purchased 5 ½ acres of land with the help of Irwin Miller. Although Miller wanted to hire Eero Saarinen to design the new church, 

22. Symbolism in design PRELIMINARY SKETCH FINAL SKETCH Saarinen believed that modern churches had lost the monumentality of traditional cathedrals because expansions with Sunday schools, gymnasiums, and kitchens took away from the significance of the church itself. He desired to design a building that returned to the model of a traditional church, while still using Modern architecture that served the needs of the congregation . His compromise was to move the school, meeting rooms, auditorium, and kitchen to a hidden basement, so that the only visible part of the church above ground was the sanctuary. Space for the basement was literally carved out of the earth in a hexagonal shape, reflecting the sanctuary above it. This emphasized the importance of the church itself and isolated the sanctuary as the most important part of the building . He wanted to interact the visitor with the architecture and work to reach the sanctuary. He thought that building an entire church on one level made religion “too easy”, and took away from the spiritual experience of going to church. Therefore, he chose to elevate the sanctuary of the church to people had to climb up a set of stair to reach it. This way the church also stood out from its residential neighborhood

23. CONSTRUCTION

24. Sanctuary The act of entering a church was important to Saarinen so the environment changes to reflect the change of attitude one has when entering a sacred space. The grey slate floors, dark mahogany pews, and eerie natural lighting instill a sense of awe in the visitor. The primary light source into the sanctuary is the oculus at the base of the spire, directly above the Communion table. This focus of light draws attention to the center of the room, where the Communion takes place. The room was designed as a space where people can gather in unity and harmony in an enclosed spiritual world. The Communion table, consisting of twelve pedestals symbolic of the twelve disciples, is placed on a tiered platform. The highest pedestal at the end of the table represents Christ, and hold a silver chalice and loaf of bread for the service. It is the central focus of the sanctuary. The pulpit, choir loft, and a  Holtkamp  organ is situated opposite the main entrance into the sanctuary. The organ is the last of its kind designed by Walter Holtkamp Sr.

25. Spire Saarinen designed the long, angular, symmetrical sanctuary and the 192-foot tall  spire  in one single stroke : On this site, with this kind of central plan, I think I would like to make the church really all one form: all the tower. There would be the gradual building up of the sheltering, hovering planes becoming the spire. The spire would not be put on a box or come up from the sides of the roof. The whole thing, all the planes, would grow up organically into the spire. From the outside of the building, the spire symbolized reaching upwards to God; on the inside, it created an enclosed soaring space for the congregation. The church was intended to remove man from the earthly world, so instead of being anchored to the ground with solid rectangles, Saarinen used pointed angular forms that hover and point to the heavens. At the top of the spire is a 5' 30" gold leaf cross, symbolizing Christ’s sacrifice.

26. Baptistery The baptistery is a small space, decorated with a  sunburst design , symbolizing the Holy Trinity . It is separate from the main sanctuary, designed to give the ceremony more dignity. The separation between the baptistery and sanctuary also recalls the tradition of the Early Christian church, when only those who were baptized could attend Communion . Influence The North Christian Church was one of the most copied buildings from the mid-twentieth century. Although it did not generate much interest during Saarinen’s life, the decades that followed produced copies of the building all across the America .  It was the last building Saarinen designed before his death, and he thought it was one of his greatest achievements : When I face St. Peter I am able to say that out of the buildings I did during my lifetime, one of the best was this little church, because it has in it a real spirit that speaks forth to all Christians as a witness to their faith.

27. Nor th Chr i st ian Church

28. EERO SAARINEN’S HOUSE AND GARDEN Welcome to Saarinen House, the restored home of Finnish-American designers Eliel and Loja Saarinen. Saarinen House exemplifies Eliel Saarinen’s belief that every aspect of design should work in harmony— from the plan of a city to the architecture of a house and its smallest details—even the silverware pattern . By combining ideas from the Arts and Crafts Movement with more modern Art Deco elements, and through careful use of related colors and repeated geometric shapes , the Saarinens designed their house to be a total work of art.

29. Saarinen House and its Restoration Saarinen began designing his house at Cranbrook in 1928, and he and Loja moved into their completed home in fall 1930. It was built concurrently with the adjoining house where sculptor Carl Milles lived, and the cost to build both was $140,000—considerably more than the typical cost of $6,250 for a Detroit-area four-bedroom house of brick and stone . The Saarinens ’ son Eero , however, had a designated bedroom where he stayed when on break from studying at Yale University (1931- 1934; B.F.A., 1934). Eero’s bedroom became a guest room when he married in 1939. After Eliel died in 1950 and Loja moved out in 1951, subsequent presidents of Cranbrook Academy of Art lived in the house and made many changes. Finally, in 1977, Roy Slade became President of the Academy and initiated a process of restoration. The full restoration took place between 1988 and 1994, under the direction of Art Museum Curator and current Director Gregory Wittkopp , and returned the house to its appearance in the mid-1930s after the Saarinens had added the finishing touches.

30. Saarinen House Exterior Architecture and Landscaping [ 1 ] Each building on Academy Way, including Saarinen House, has different, unique patterns in its brick- work, doors and windows . [ 2 ] On the south side of the house, a covered walkway connecting Eliel Saarinen’s architecture studio to those of the Academy physically embodies his idea that Academy students and faculty should live and work in close proximity with each other. [ 3 ] The paved courtyard served as an outdoor room where the Saarinens entertained guests. French doors leading to the studio and dining room minimize the distinction between indoor and outdoor spaces . [ 4 ] The statue in the center of the courtyard is Kivi’s Muse, by Finnish sculptor Wäino Aaltonen (1894-1966). Aleksis Kivi (1834-1872) was Finland’s most prominent poet, with a status equivalent to Shakespeare. [ 5 ] Ivy softens the walls and gives them texture and color, much as the wall hangings do inside the house .

31. The Living Room and Book Room The living room and book room combine elements of Art Deco design with ideas drawn from the Arts and Crafts Movement and ultimately from the Saarinens ’ Finnish heritage. Despite these varied sources, the Saarinens ’ use of related colors and geometric motifs unifies the design. The spacious proportions and formal layout of the living room are well suited to its use as a reception hall where the Saarinens hosted parties. [ 6 ] The book room is a smaller, cozier space where the Saarinens and perhaps a guest or two could enjoy the late afternoon sun during their daily coffee break. [ 7 ] All of the wooden furniture in these two spaces was handcrafted at Cranbrook by Swedish cabinetmaker Tor Berglund using Eliel’s designs, except for the globe stand (designed by the Saarinens ’ son-in-law J. Robert F. Swanson). Such fine craftsmanship was an ideal of the Arts and Crafts Movement, but the exotic woods are characteristic of Art Deco and include greenheart, African walnut, rosewood and ebony. [ 8 ] The rug’s pattern and colors echo the exterior brickwork, the chair upholstery, and the rows of books in the book room. It forms an axis leading the eye toward the fireplace and wall hanging, but intentionally is slightly off center, making it seem less static. Like most of the other textiles in the room, it was designed by Loja Saarinen and woven at Studio Loja Saarinen. [ 9 ] The sofa is based on a Finnish tradition in which rugs were draped onto the floor so they could be folded up over the sitter’s feet and lap for warmth. Here, however, the rug is decorative rather than functional.

32. The Dining Room Eliel Saarinen took into account every aspect of the dining room design, choosing rich, warm colors and repeating squares, octagons and circles to unify the design. The dining room was the perfect space for the elegant luncheons, teas and dinner parties the Saarinens frequently hosted. [ 10 ] The room is actually square, but is made octagonal by the four corner niches. These complement the room with dramatic bursts of a color that the Saarinens called Chinese red . [ 11 ] The rug is square with a pattern of concentric octagons that resembles snowdrifts on the octagonal courtyard pavement. [ 12 ] The table has an octagonal base but a circular top to lead the eye upward to the circular light and finally to the gold-leaf-covered dome . Because the table’s shape was important to the design of the room, Eliel designed four arch-shaped extension leaves for the perimeter that allow the table to remain circular when expanded, unlike most round tables . [ 13 ] The wall hanging, designed and woven by Finnish artist Greta Skogster ( 1900- 1994), depicts birds in a tree, as if to mirror the view through the French doors opposite to the trees beyond the courtyard. [ 14 ] French doors make for a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces for entertaining. The dining room is aligned on an axis with the courtyard, but also with the living room . [ 15 ] Beyond the swinging door is the butler’s pantry containing some of the Saarinens ’ china and their Frigidaire, proudly made visible to guests when the door swung open. Modern materials were used in the pantry, including Monel metal for the countertops and battleship linoleum for the floors .

33. The Studio The studio has three parts: the alcove off the living room, which Loja Saarinen dubbed the “Cozy Corner”; the main area where the Saarinens worked and entertained; and Eliel’s office at the back. Both Loja and Eliel spent much of their time in the studio; all of its spaces thus evoke their professional lives. [ 16 ] The Cozy Corner offered a comfortable space where the Saarinens entertained guests ranging from their grandchildren to Cranbrook Academy of Art students and faculty to architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, and Alvar Aalto. [ 17 ] Originally a piano was located where there is now the small portable bar buffet, designed by son-in-law J. Robert F. Swanson, from which the Saarinens often served martinis late in the day. [ 18 ] The studio is restored in the way that the Saarinens had it photographed; however, for daily use, the rug was stored away and there were three drafting tables at which Eliel could design architecture and Loja, textiles. When the Saarinens hosted parties, the drafting tables were removed, creating an impressive reception space that included tubular metal chairs designed by Eero Saarinen for the auditorium of the Kingswood School for girls. [ 19 ] This rug, made in Finland in the eighteenth century, is called a ryijy (RYE-a) for the way it is hand-knotted and woven. It is one of several historical ryijy rugs the Saarinens collected. Most of the rugs that Loja designed, including the ones in the studio, were made using the same ancient technique. [ 20 ] Originally the walls displayed Eliel’s presentation drawings of buildings he had designed in Finland. The restoration instead includes reproductions of his Cranbrook designs.

34. The Upperstairways Hall The second floor of the house includes the master bedroom and bathroom along with four additional rooms and a guest bathroom at the end of the hallway. Next to the master bedroom is the room that Eero stayed in when on break from college and before he married in 1939. The other rooms that are not included in the current restoration were used as a guest bedroom, a sewing room, and the housekeeper’s bedroom, which was accessed by stairs from the kitchen rather than from the hallway. [ 21 ] In this alcove Eliel and Loja ate breakfast, brought to them every morning at 7:30 a.m. by the housekeeper. [ 22 ] All of the doors originally displayed designs by Pipsan Saarinen Swanson . Restorers were unable to determine the exact motifs, so they used ones that Pipsan designed for the Kingswood School for girls, which her father Eliel designed around the same time as this house

35. The Master Bedroom and Master Bathroom For their bedroom, the Saarinens gave their twenty-year- old son, Eero , one of his first commissions, allowing him to design the beds, nightstand and table, and the dressing table bench, lamps and mirror. In these pieces, his talent and distinctive style are already evident and foreshadow his success as an architect and furniture designer. [ 23 ] With these lamps and mirror, Eero transforms his mother Loja’s dressing table into an altar to glamour and elegance. They reveal Eero’s under- standing of the use of indirect lighting, which Eliel skillfully employed elsewhere in Saarinen House. Scaled for the tabletop, the torchères reflect light onto the ceiling, subtly illuminating the sitter’s face. The master bathroom, designed by Eliel Saarinen, is a stunning example of the 1930s-era belief that modernity equaled “clean,” in two senses of the word: “hygienic and sanitary” as well as “visually sleek and free of clutter.” [ 24 ] The bathroom’s layout is perfectly symmetrical and detailed with squares and rectangles. [ 25 ] Surfaces are lined with smooth , easy-to-clean tiles in neutral shades of off-white and gun- metal gray. [ 26 ] The sinks are faucetless , which gives them a streamlined appearance. Water comes from an opening near the top of each basin. The counter- tops are Vitrolite , an opaque glass used as cladding for buildings.

36. Thank You!