Tag: Eero Saarinen

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Eero Saarinen Travel: Let's Go See the Queen!

Where: Grosvenor Square, London, United Kingdom
July 31, 2008 at 12:05 PM | by | Comments (0)

There's a lot of great Eero Saarinen action right here in the United States, but he didn't limit his works to the states. One example of his adventures overseas is the Embassy of the United States in London that sits in Grosvenor Square. Finished in 1960, it's one of the largest American diplomatic offices in the world.

The building consists of nine stories, with three of them below ground. The facility is topped with a gilded aluminum Bald Eagle with a wingspan of more than 35 feet. Besides the US embassy in Japan, the London post is the only one situated on land not owned by the American government. Let's just hope the United Kingdom doesn't get any ideas.

Besides handing out visas and other paperwork, the building is traditionally used as the setting for announcing any agreements between the UK and US. Maybe you'll even get to visit on your next trip to London after spending a little too much time at the pub and getting belligerent in the streets!

Related Stories:
· Embassy of the US: London [Official Site]
· Eero Saarinen Travel Map [Jaunted]
· Architecture Travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: Wikimedia]

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T5 at JFK: Heaps of Restaurants, Shopping for Future JetBlue Hostages

July 30, 2008 at 9:58 AM | by | Comments (0)

Last we heard from JetBlue, there wasn't much new happening at the still-under-contruction T5 at JFK. But The New York Times dug up some juicy new details on the innovative new dining and shopping options coming to the airport's newest addition this fall.

The 26-gate terminal will have dining bars, pictured, scattered throughout, with plug ins for your electronics and touch-screen ordering a la Virgin America's RED. Tap in an order, and it's delivered to you a few minutes later. In the heart of T5, a 10,000-square-foot food court will have a Whole Foods-style buffet of hot and cold items, perfect for grabbing on the run.

Fancier options include a "rustic Italian trattoria," a sushi spot, a brasserie, a tapas joint and a Mexican place, all of which count chefs from popular NYC restaurants as consultants.

On the retail side, be on the lookout for a Muji outpost to compliment two other locations in New York. There will also be a an outlet for WFAN, a local sports radio station, and 17 other shops.

Related Stories:
· Jet Blue Banks on Travelers' Worldly Appetites [NYT]
· At Kennedy, Shopping and Dining [NYT]
· T5 at JFK coverage [Jaunted]

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Eero Saarinen Travel: Taking Care of Business

July 29, 2008 at 11:33 AM | by | Comments (0)

As you can probably tell, we just can't get enough of Eero Saarinen over here. As we continue to lust over the Finnish-American architect, we travel to Rochester, Minnesota to see the facility he created for one of America's most well-known companies. Construction of IBM Rochester began in 1956 and when first completed, it created 576,000 square feet of work space for the company.

The building has grown over the years and now represents the largest IBM facility in the world under one roof. The Rochester staff has received over 2,700 US patents for product innovation over the years.

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Eero Saarinen Travel: Checking in on JFK

July 28, 2008 at 6:16 PM | by | Comments (0)

Speaking of JFK, with our heavy focus last week on architect Eero Saarinen, what better time is there to check in on progress at the airport's new Terminal 5? We went straight to the source, asking JetBlue spokesman Bryan Baldwin what was up.

Here's what he said:

T5 is progressing very nicely. We're scheduled for a late September operational start date. The exact date is still being finalized. The project is still on budget, and a September opening will put us almost six months ahead of schedule.

Don't worry: We'll be trying our best to get another sneak preview before T5 finally opens to fliers this fall.

Related Stories:
· JetBlue Travel: Inside the New Terminal 5 [Jaunted]
· Architecture Travel: Saarinen's T5 to Open This Fall [Jaunted]
· Eero Saarinen Travel Map [Jaunted]

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Eero Saarinen Travel: Back to School Edition

Where: 48 Massachusetts Ave. [map], Cambridge, MA, United States
July 25, 2008 at 12:00 PM | by | Comments (0)

If you've been following this week's coverage of Eero Saarinen, then today's focus should be instantly recognizable. Constructed between 1953 and 1955, the Kresge Auditorium at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology displays many of the themes that we've seen in his works so far. The building was named in honor of S. S. Kresge, founder of the company that would later become K-Mart. Although not a graduate of MIT, he apparently had some pretty strong cash reserves.

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Eero Saarinen Travel: What to Do on Sunday

Where: 850 Tipton Ln. [map], Columbus, IN, United States, 47201
July 24, 2008 at 10:50 AM | by | Comments (0)

As we continue to explore the works of Eero Saarinen and his architectural adventures, we move to Indiana. Like his father, Eliel Saarinen, who created the First Christian Church in Columbus, Indiana, the younger Saarinen designed the North Christian Church there as well. Completed in 1964, the church was the last building he designed before his death.

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Eero Saarinen Travel: The Yale Whale

Where: 73 Sachem St. [map], New Haven, CT, United States
July 23, 2008 at 10:30 AM | by | Comments (0)

Although Eero Saarinen seemed to have a passion for flight, he must have also had a passion for education--he at very least was able to take advantage of schools with deep pockets. As a prime example, Yale University commissioned Saarinen to design a distinctive hockey rink, and the David S. Ingalls Rink, built between 1953 and 1958, is still going strong today as it continues to hold just shy of 3,500 fans for men's and women's hockey.

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Eero Saarinen Travel: Leaving on a Jet Plane

July 22, 2008 at 10:15 AM | by | Comments (0)

If you've been paying attention, then you would know that our architect of the week, Eero Saarinen, designed the TWA terminal at JFK that's soon to become JetBlue's flagship hub. But did you know that Saarinen also designed the main terminal at Washington Dulles International Airport?

He did! And we like it, even if some people don't. Designed by Saarinen in 1958 and dedicated by President Kennedy in 1962, the airport was the first to be specifically created for the jet age. In fact, some design elements such as extended runways were created in hopes of a future for IAD as a spaceport. Although that hasn't happened yet, the design supposedly inspired the construction of the airport in Taipei.

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Eero Saarinen Travel: Meet Me in St. Louis

July 21, 2008 at 11:45 AM | by | Comment (1)

After you've seen the exhibit at the National Building Museum, check out these Eero Saarinen masterpieces.

Everyone has seen the Gateway Arch, at least in pictures, but few realize that it's part of the larger Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Designed by Saarinen, the structure raises 630 feet above the ground and is also 630 feet wide at its base. Besides being instantly recognizable, it's also the largest memorial in the United States.

Although Saarinen passed away four years before the arch was completed, it stands today as probably his most famous achievement. After his death, designer Richard Bowser incorporated a tram to take guests to the top of the arch, something that Saarinen felt was important to add. We're glad he did: Without the unique elevators, the only option to get to the top would be 1,000-plus stairs.

Related Stories:
· Jefferson National Expansion Memorial [Official Site]
· Architecture Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Wikimedia]

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Eero Saarinen Travel: Heaven for Architecture Geeks in DC

Where: 401 F Street NW [map], Washington, DC, United States, 20001
July 21, 2008 at 9:50 AM | by | Comments (0)

Eero Saarinen is the Finnish-American architect who designed the St. Louis Arch, JFK's Terminal 5, Dulles International's Main Terminal and the instantly recognizable tulip chair. But he never got the praise that other modern architects enjoyed, either because his style was so revolutionary or because he died young, the victim of a brain tumor.

Through August 23, the National Building Museum in DC is hosting the first-ever major retrospective of his career, including documents, photos, models, videos and furniture. We went to check it out a few weeks ago and were pretty impressed. While the whole exhibition takes only about an hour to see, it was very cool to immerse ourselves in the work of a single architect. And, hey, the show is free.

But since seeing drawings and photos is only half the fun of architecture travel, we'll be taking a deeper look at some of Saarinen's most interesting buildings this week. Stay tuned.

Related Stories:
· Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future [Official Site]
· Architecture Travel coverage [Jaunted]

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