Post War USA

Eero Saarinen was born in Kirkkonummi, Finland in 1910. He studied in Paris and at Yale University, after which he joined his father's practice. Eero initially pursued sculpture as his art of choice. After a year in art school, he decided to become an architect instead. Much of his work shows a relation to sculpture. He easily moved back and forth between the International style and Expressionism.

Charles Eames and his wife Ray created many postwar furniture pieces that have become classics today. Most of them have nicknames associated with them including: The Potato chip chair, the molded plywood chair, the shell chair, and the bikini chair.

When Eero Saarinen designed the recently renovated MIT Chapel in the 1950s, he envisioned a serene island of contemplation, a sanctuary free of distractions from the urban bustle that surrounded it. Never had such a radical structure been constructed on an American college campus. The Womb chair is constructed of an upholstered foam-covered fiberglass shell, chrome or black steel frame with separate seat, back and ottoman cushions.

At the end of World War II the Eameses joined a larger movement of architects and builders aiming to supply the veteran with affordable housing. The Eames architecture promised good design for minimal cost through the use of prefabricated standardized parts.the Eameses sought to bring the "good life" to the general public, integrating high and low art forms, modern materials and construction technologies, craft and design.