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Eliel Saarinen

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Architect

The Resume

    (August 20, 1873-July 1, 1950)
    Born in Rantasalmi, Finland
    Full name is Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen
    Worked with Herman Gesellius and Armas Lindgren at the firm Gesellius, Lindgren, and Saarinen (1896-1905)
    Co-author of the design for Fennia series (1902-1912)
    Designed National Museum of Finland (1904), Helsinki Central railway station (1909), the original Vyborg railway station (1913), Kleinhans Music Hall (1940), Cranbook Educational Community (1940), and Des Moines Art Center (1948)
    Did urban planning projects for Helsinki, Tallinn, and Canberra
    Designed Finnish markka banknotes (1922)
    Taught at Cranbook Educational Community and University of Michigan
    Wrote 'The Cranbook Development' (1931), 'The City, Its Growth, Its Decay, It's Future' (1943), and 'Search for Form' (1948)
    Worked with his son Eero on an expansion of the Smithsonian
    Received AIA Gold Medal (1947)
    Died in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Why he might be annoying:

    He divorced his first wife, who proceeded to marry Gesellius.
    His second wife happened to be Gesellius's sister.
    His designs for entire districts of Helsinki were never built due to the high costs.
    His entry for the Tribune Tower, which won second place, was never built. (1922)

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was an influential figure in modern architecture.
    His designs were an innovative interplay between art, architecture, nature, and science.
    He was also an avid drawer and painter since childhood.
    Nevertheless, his entry for the Tribune Tower influenced the building of many other skyscrapers.

Credit: Big Lenny


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 36 Votes: 50.0% Annoying