Saarinen House / Cranbrook
The Saarinen House (1929) at Cranbrook Academy by Eliel Saarinen with help from Loja, Pipsan, and Eero. It was the home of Eliel and Loja from 1930 to 1951. Eliel was the master architect for Cranbrook and was the Cranbrook Academy of Art’s president from 1932 to 1946.
Lilly Swann Saarinen and Loja Saarinen in the book room.
Source: Courtesy of Cranbrook Archives, Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research
Textiles and hangings by Studio Loja Saarinen.
Almost every piece was designed by a member of the Saarinen family.
Kevin Adkisson, Curator at the Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research, showed us the house and was the best guide. He had some juicy stories about Robert Swanson.
Eliel Saarinen dining set.
Cranbrook Academy student Harry Bertoia gets credit for trimming the base of the sculpture to fit perfectly within in the center inlay.
Pipsan flower floater
The home studio.
We're now upstairs.
Eleil and Loja's bedroom. This is where Eleil passed away. As a matter of fact, it was in a womb chair that Eero gave to his mother. It was a 1948 prototype and the second one ever made. The one there now is a newer model, but I think I know who has the original one.
Hi
Florence Knoll was orphaned at age 12 and her guardian enrolled her at the Kingswood School for Girls at Cranbrook. She was taken under the wing of Eliel Saarinen and lived with the Saarinen family. She later studied at the Cranbrook Academy of Art.
Now picture a young Florence living there with the Saarinens behind one of these bedroom doors decorated with a Pipsan design.
Photograph of the womb chair cake that Florence Knoll made for Eero Saarinen's birthday in the late 1940's.
Source: Courtesy of Cranbrook Archives, Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research
You too can tour the house. More information here.
I still have a bunch of Michigan posts coming up.