Saarinen, Eero (1910–1961)

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Although it is difficult to label his architectural style, Eero Saarinen approached modernism by considering the design of each project from its unique context and program, some with dramatic sculptural and structural expression (Saarinen, 1962; Román, 2003). Most interesting about Saarinen was his distinctive design process that involved the extensive use of sketches and models.

Saarinen was born in Finland where his father was the prominent architect Eliel Saarinen. The family emigrated to the United States in 1923, when the elder Saarinen accepted a position at the University of Michigan. Eero Saarinen studied sculpture at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris in 1929 and the Graduate Program of Fine Arts at Yale University to study architecture. In 1938, he worked briefly for the designer Norman Bel Geddes and then returned to Michigan to begin work with his father. They collaborated on many architectural projects until Eliel Saarinen’s
death in 1950. With his own practice, Eero Saarinen designed projects such as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis (1948–1964); Kresge Auditorium and Chapel on MIT campus (1953–1956); the United States Embassy, London (1955–1960); Trans World Airlines Terminal, New York (1956–1962); and Dulles International Airport in Virginia (1958–1962). Constantly exploring new materials and technologies for building, Saarinen experimented with shell structures and tension construction in such projects as TWA, Ingalls Hockey Rink, and Dulles Airport.

Such structurally innovative constructions were difficult to imagine, and also challenging to envision through drawings. Using models, Saarinen and his office were able to comprehend and explore complex forms (Román, 2003). The projects were often first imagined as two-dimensional sketches. They were then modeled to analyze form, connections, and structural integrity. The final part of the process was to translate the project into construction drawings. This process allowed Saarinen to visually understand the form of the buildings and suggests that the use of models allowed him to easily keep track of the progress of projects in his office. This page shows a perspective sketch from the design phase of the Ingalls Hockey Rink in New Haven, Connecticut. On first
observation, this sketch appears to have a definitive look that might imply it was rendered after the completion of the building. Comparison to the finished structure, however, indicates the sketch was employed earlier in the process.

Sketched on yellow notebook paper with soft graphite pencil, the image is fluid, as the smooth line of the arched spine has been sketched in a continuous stroke. Shadows, foliage, and texture enrich the three-dimensional illusion and contextual qualities. One aspect that feels unresolved is the connection of the spine to the ground in front of the entry doors. Here the graphite appears darker, possibly because Saarinen reworked the terminus, hoping to find a solution with the perspective.

It would be difficult to visualize the fluid deformation roof without first having studied the structure of the arc. It is likely that Saarinen sketched this image as a reflection of a model. The ridge is
dominant, but in the finished building, the ends have been turned up toward the sky and one end was finished with a sculptural piece. The entrances have also been altered from this early sketch. In the built version, the roof extends to become an overhang and the curve frames the doors. Saarinen’s design process assisted him to understand complex forms, as is evidenced by this beautiful and confident sketch.