We came across this discussion on the DetroitYES forums today. As the title (Detroit’s influence on Yamasaki and Saarinen) suggests, the poster is wondering if, or to what extent, the Detroit metropolitan area influenced the work of Minoru Yamasaki and Eero Saarinen.
Here is the original post:
“I have always wondered how an actual city can influence an artist or architect. We always hear about NYC and London and how these cities have influenced some of the most creative people in our time. I was curious to know how and if Detroit had any influence on the works of Minoru Yamasaki and Eero Saarinen. Specifically Detroit though.
Do you think the region and city itself had any influence on the way they perceived and created architecture? Both architects are in a group of maybe 15 of the most important architects of the last century and Detroit had to have at least some influence.”
The discussion roams somewhat from Yamasaki and Saarinen, to include additional Detroit-area architects ( a few others as well), and it also brings up the topic of the influence of automobile design in architecture.
In any case it is an interesting question, and one Michigan Modern is working to answer, or at least shed light on. We encourage to stop by the DetroitYES forums, and have your say.
Though this video only briefly touches on Eero Saarinen’s connection to Michigan, through Cranbrook, it provides a nice overview of some of his major architectural work, as well as his contributions to furniture design.
From the YouTube description:
“From KETC, LIVING ST. LOUIS, Producer Patrick Murphy explores the work of Eero Saarinen, whose work was the subject of an exhibit at the Kemper Art Museum at Washington University. Best known for the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Saarinen also designed the TWA Flight Center and JFK Airport in New York, the main terminal at Dulles Airport in Washington DC, and the CBS Headquarters building (known as Blackrock) in midtown Manhattan. Saarinens style, which changed from project-to-project to fit the needs of each design, has made him difficult to classify by architecture and art historians, and lead to a decline of his reputation after his dead in 1961. Now, however, he is seen as a source of inspiration for many architects.”
In the November 16, 2009 issue of Newsweek, Cathleen McGuigan discusses Aline Saarinen, the wife of Eero Saarinen. McGuigan makes a compelling case that Mrs. Saarinen should be better known today for her own accomplishments – which are many, and that Mr. Saarinen’s fame is due, in part, to the efforts of his wife. Additionally, the article is full of interesting tidbits regarding both Mr. and Mrs. Saarinen.
In the past few weeks we’ve been busy compiling data on Michigan’s modernist buildings and architects. If you haven’t visited the web site in recent weeks, here’s a summary of what’s been added:
We are looking for information on Michigan’s Modern county municipal buildings. Twenty-eight have been identified as being constructed between 1953 and 1969, but the names of only a few of the architects of these buildings are known, and some may have been altered or changed over the years. We would like to find out if a building retains its physical integrity. In addition, we are looking for more information on these buildings: architect, dedication date, types of alterations and dates, unusual construction methods or materials.
Other information about the building’s design is also welcome, for example the Kent County building in Grand Rapids has a stabile/sculpture by Alexander Calder on its plaza. A list of Michigan’s Modern county buildings is below.
