Jetsonen, Eliel Saarinen Public Buildings

Eliel Saarinen’s career can be divided into two periods of roughly equal length. His Finnish period from 1896 to 1922, was followed by his American period from 1923 to 1950. Saarinen was the first major European architect to relocate to the United States, where he paved the way for modern architecture. From his early works to the final projects, Saarinen’s architecture was characterised by a holistic approach that encompassed everything, from large-scale concepts to the smallest details. He believed that the forms arising from architectural design should be an authentic reflection of human life – of feelings, thoughts and aspirations – to truly resonate and be persuasive. “Eliel Saarinen was not only a participant in the pioneering era, his works reflect the entire arc of development. It gradually comes to include a social element without undermining its monumental power, and the integration of ‘national’ from the old [style of national romanticism] with universality is distinctly visible. His work preserves both the new movement’s monumentality and its masterful control of detail.”

• Alvar Aalto, 21 July 1950

Eliel Saarinen Public Buildings showcases 20 buildings designed by Eliel Saarinen between 1900 and 1950 in Finland, Estonia and the United States. Featured among these are the iconic National Museum of Finland and Helsinki Railway Station. Also highlighted are the exquisite and beautiful buildings of the Cranbrook Educational Community in Bloomfield Hills, the significant Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo, and prominent churches such as St Paul’s Church in Tartu, Estonia, First Christian Church in Columbus, and Christ Church Lutheran in Minneapolis. Jari Jetsonen has taken over 300 superb full-colour photographs specifically for this book. Together with Eliel Saarinen’s original drawings, they convey a vivid sense of the distinctive character of the buildings. Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen’s descriptions provide a wealth of information about the history and features of each project. The volume also includes an insightful introductory essay by Gregory Wittkopp, Director of the Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research.