Eero Saarinen: The Architect Who Saw the Future

Explore the life of the Finnish-American modernist architectural giant Eero Saarinen (1910–1961), whose visionary buildings include such National Historic Landmarks as St. Louis’ iconic Gateway Arch and the General Motors Technical Center in Michigan. Saarinen also designed New York’s TWA Flight Center at JFK International Airport, Yale University's Ingalls Rink and Morse and Stiles Colleges, Virginia’s Dulles Airport, and modernist pedestal furniture, such as the Tulip chair. Saarinen’s link to Estonia is through his father Eliel Saarinen, who was the man behind the 1913 general plan of the city of Tallinn, as well as the author of the “Saarinen House” in Pärnu Road, the community centre for Luther Furniture Factory workers, and St. Paul’s Church in Tartu.
Travel with his son, Director of Photography Eric Saarinen, as he visits the sites of his father’s work on a cathartic journey, shot in 6K with the latest in drone technology that showcases the architect’s body of timeless work for the first time. Eero’s sudden death at age 51 cut short one of the most influential careers in American architecture. Today, Saarinen’s work stands apart and continues to inspire, especially with the renewed interest in 20th-century architects and artists who exploded the comfortable constraints of the past to create a robust and daring American aesthetic.

Introduction by Eric Saarinen and Mait Väljas