Eero Saarinen

In 1929, Eero Saarinen enrolled at Cranbrook Academy in Michigan to study architecture and industrial design, where he worked under the guidance of his father, Eliel Saarinen. There he met Charles Eames, who would become an important collaborator and friend. In the 1930s, he collaborated with his father on several architectural projects before founding his own practice in the 1940s. He quickly made a name for himself with his sculptural approach to design, combining technical innovation with organic forms.

In 1948, he collaborated with Knoll to create the famous Tulip Chair, a revolutionary armchair that broke with traditional furniture conventions by replacing the four traditional legs with a single central leg made of moulded fibreglass. This iconic piece forms part of the Pedestal collection, which sought to resolve the ‘chaos of legs’ beneath tables and chairs.

In 1956, Saarinen designed the Womb Chair, which has been reissued by Knoll; a comfortable, enveloping design that combines ergonomics with modern aesthetics, and is highly sought-after in mid-century design interiors.

Alongside his work in furniture design, Eero Saarinen was also a renowned architect: he designed iconic buildings such as the terminal at New York’s JFK Airport (1959) and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis (1965), demonstrating his bold and futuristic vision. Saarinen’s career was marked by a constant quest for harmony between form and function, using innovative materials to create pieces that were at once sculptural, comfortable and durable.