Eero Saarinen

Eero Saarinen
850 Tipton Lane Columbus, IN 47201.0

Work by architect Eero Saarinen in Columbus, Indiana

“As a first-time visitor to (Miller House) — albeit one who has pored over photograph after photograph of the place for hours — I was immediately struck by the fact that images do little justice to the experience of being in the place.”
- Sam Grawe, Brand Director, Herman Miller

“While the twentieth century is often thought of as a secular age, a great many architects practicing within the modern idiom received commissions to design religious facilities. For Saarinen, this became almost a subspecialty, in which, metaphorically speaking, he was able to practice his own theology of design. The LEX (formerly North Christian Church) was his second project of this type in Columbus, Indiana, built twenty years after the Tabernacle Church of Christ, which he had worked on with his father.”
- From the Taschen book Saarinen, by Pierluigi Serraino

“Designed by Eero Saarinen and completed in 1954, the former Irwin Union Bank and Trust is one of the earliest examples of an American bank designed with glass walls and an open plan, an influential Modernist style that was dramatically different from past solutions for bank design.”
- From the Docomomo website

“Saarinen’s works, like the St. Louis Gateway Arch and TWA Terminal, often are very sculptural – a quality likely derived from both his mother’s influence and his own brief training in sculpture – and structurally adventurous, defying our expectations of how they must stand up. They also exploit the possibilities of modern materials – particularly concrete – and engineering know-how to the fullest extent.”
- From www.theartstory.org

The LEX (formerly North Christian Church)
Credit: Tony Vasquez
Miller House conversation pit
Credit: Mike Wolanin, The Republic
Irwin Bank / Irwin Conference Center
Credit: Don Nissen

TripAdvisor visitors share their thoughts

This church exceeded anything we could anticipate...

Stunning and intimate both – We came to Columbus prepared to be impressed by the famous modern architecture. This church exceeded anything we could anticipate. > Deb from Minneapolis, MN

Extraordinarily sculpted by master architect Eero Saarinen...

Awesome – Another example of spirituality through a kind of simplicity that is extraordinarily sculpted by master architect Eero Saarinen. > Michael from Palm Springs, CA

Wow. People and house ahead of its time...

A Must for Aesthetics, Architecture and History – Wow. People and house ahead of its time. Really enjoyed the tour guide and the opportunity to see such beautiful house and grounds. I am not an architect, but after a trip to Palm Springs, we are impressed by mid-century modern and here is the epitome. > Douglas from New York City

Best day ever...

Best day ever! I am building a house and found the tour of the Miller House inspiring! The guide was extremely informative about the building and the Miller family. By the end of the tour we felt like we knew them – she really brought the building to life. Unusual for a house tour, I want to go back. > John from London, England

American Masters on PBS, explore the life of modernist architectural giant Eero Saarinen
Video of Miller House and Garden by WTIU/Bloomington
Video of Irwin Conference Center and The LEX (formerly North Christian Church)

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