Arts and Letters

Eero Saarinen, the talented son of an illustrious father, was born in Kirkkonummi, Finland, August 20, 1910. In the 1920s his father, Eliel Saarinen, Finland's then brilliant young architect, entered the international competition for the Chicago Tribune Tower, the greatest and richest ever held until then. The conservative jury placed his design second, the prize going to a suave neo-Gothic affair by Raymond Hood and John Mead Howells. The Saarinen design, however, was universally acclaimed by architects both here and abroad for its vigor, perfect scale, and fresh beauty; and for it, besides a substantial money prize, he received an offer of a professorship at Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills outside Detroit. This he accepted, and moved with his family to this country in 1923.

Eero was then thirteen years old, and got his education in and around the studio of his father and at Yale, where he took his degree as Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1934, winning the Charles O. Matcham Traveling Fellowship.

He then entered his father's office in Bloomfield Hills for his architectural training, later becoming his father's partner, and after his death in 1950 founding the firm of Saarinen and Associates.

It is unfortunate that in the short two years since his election to the Academy the members did not have the opportunity of experiencing his warm nature, his great good humor and natural modesty. For in spite of the deeply dedicated life of the creative artist which he lived, he could relax when the time came with a good drink, a good pipe, and good talk, and in such moments there was no better companion.

He was a fine looking man, sturdily built, unhurried, sometimes even seemingly slow. His manner of speaking was thoughtful and rather carefully considered. This was a reflection of, and consistent with, the way his mind worked. In his thinking he ruminated deeply not only on his own problems but on the architectural problems of his day; methodically evaluating and comparing the different and often opposing philosophies of design that were being put forward; and coming up with his own thoroughly reasoned answers as to which was a passing fashion and which would stand the test of time. This deeply reasoned clarity of thinking, combined with his vivid imagination and bold originality, exerted a dominating influence on the profession. Many of his famous works rival or surpass the ancient classic examples in their own classic crystalline purity. At the time of his death he was a rapidly developing genius, not adhering or committed to any one formula as were almost all other forefront architects, but constantly experimenting and exploring new possibilities, and always learning from his great achievements and from his near-mistakes, which anyone with his boldness of approach must constantly risk. However, he managed somehow always to rescue himself honorably from the latter by his natural inventiveness and resourcefulness, for there was nothing timid about Eero. He would stake everything on what he believed to be the perfect solution to a particular project. It was not in his nature to do as almost any other architect would, and play it safe, if he knew a better way—regardless of the difficulties and risks.

There is no question that Eero Saarinen was probably the most brilliant architect of his age. He maintained in his work unfailingly the highest standards of excellence. His designs, even the most audacious ones, have a timeless quality of greatness and nobility. His standing and his leadership in the field of design had unquestioned nationwide acceptance in the profession as a whole.

Eero's untimely death at fifty-one, in the prime of his powers, was tragic for the profession. He was a tireless worker, never satisfied, always searching, a fearless innovator and a truly dedicated soul.