Jetsonen, Eliel and Eero Saarinen Homes

Eliel and Eero Saarinen are renowned as the most famous father-son duo in architecture: Eliel, the father, was celebrated for triumphs such as the Art Nouveau railway station in Helsinki, Finland, whereas his son, Eero, was the designer of masterpieces like the TWA Terminal Building at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. Both Eliel and Eero Saarinen stressed the importance of a building's relationship to its surroundings. This is most clearly demonstrated in their private residences, often sited in woodland or rocky outcrops near water, where architecture merges effortlessly with the natural landscape. Nature is also reflected in decorative motifs, both within the interiors and on facades. Regardless of style, the Saarinens' residential architecture expresses a belief in the house as a total work of art. For the first time, Eliel and Eero Saarinen Homes presents 33 residential buildings designed by Eliel and Eero Saarinen between 1897 and 1962, located in Finland, Russia, Germany, the United States and Canada. The featured projects range from Eliel's early twentieth-century Art Nouveau apartment buildings and villas to Eero's mid-century modern designs. The Saarinen family homes, Hvitträsk and Saarinen House, exemplify their approach to domestic design: harmonious, cosy spaces with carefully considered details that create a unique atmosphere and a balanced living environment. Jari Jetsonen has contributed over 250 new superb full-colour photographs for this book. Combined with original drawings and archival images, they convey a vivid sense of each building's distinctive character. Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen's accompanying texts provide a wealth of information about the history and features of every project. The volume also includes a perceptive introductory essay by Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen, Assistant Dean and Professor at Yale School of Architecture.