This GA issue number 6 from 1971 features architect Eero Saarinen (1910–1961) and his designs for the Bell Telephone Company Research Laboratories (1957–1962, New Jersey) and John Deere Headquarters (1957–1963, Illinois). The buildings were finished posthumously by his project designers Kevin Roche and David Powrie. Saarinen was born in Kirkkonummi, Finland and he moved to the U.S as a young boy in 1923 together with his family. Eero Saarinen’s father was architect Eliel Saarinen (1873–1950).
As always with the Global Architecture Journal, Eero Saarinen’s architecture is showcased with beautiful, full-page photos, site plans, floor plans, sections and structural details. The leading article, which contemplates Eero Saarinen’s career, architectural thinking and his way of working, has been written by Diana and Cesar Pelli. The texts are in English and Japanese. Those who admire mid-century modern and American corporate architecture may find this Saarinen issue particularly interesting.
His time is the time when he workd on all that was built of his: is 1948 to 1961: is the time of The Building. The Building was done essentially for institutions, public or private. The war over, american institutions, now affluent, turned to buildings as important symbols of themselves. The kind of jobs architects get tells much of the forces at work in the society. America in the 20th century had, until then, given mainly residential work to its architects. Eero’s time coincided and intertwined a new epoch.
The copy for sale is in good condition. All the pages are attached, and the covers are tidy. There is an owner’s signature on the flyleaf, but this only adds to the value of this fantastic publication.