Miller House (1957) - A Controversial Living Room

Columbus, Indiana

United States

This home, designed by Eero Saarinen, was commissioned by the family of philanthropist J. Miller Irwin in Columbus, Indiana. Miller House, completed in 1957, is a good example of mid-century “modernist” architecture, characterized by the use of steel framework and glass enclosures.

The home is situated on a rectangular plot of 13 hectares which extends from a busy road to the river. To complete the design of this home, Saarinen collaborated with a team of complementary professionals: interior designer Alexander Girard and landscape architect Daniel Kiley.

This house has attracted attention due to the characteristics of the main living space, sometimes even creating controversy. This living area is located in a great open space in the center of the house and features a sunken conversation pit which can be accessed by five steps. 

In 2000, the property was restored after an infusion of of approximately two million dollars. It was declared a National Historic Landmark and was re-opened to the public.

(Editor's note: below each picture is the name of the website it belongs to)

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Trans World Airlines Terminal in JFK - New York (1962 Architecture)

JFK Airport, New York. 1956-1962

The practices of modern architecture identify specific guidelines concerning the planning and execution of architectural projects. However, among several examples that don't necessarily follow this rule 100%, there is a building that never stops fascinating those who see it. Even though it is not wholly modern, in light of commonly held conceptions, it is perhaps an exercise of research into the many possibilities of the materials used, which allow for many different forms.

This building is the TWA Terminal by Eero Saarinen, in JFK Airport, New York. Construction began around 1956 and it was inaugurated in 1962. 

The possible forms of reinforced concrete and the plasticity used by Saarinen in this building are simply spectacular, not advocating economical results and emphasizing the flexibility of forms revealed in the proposal.

I believe it is very complicated and unnecessary to develop these amazing forms, which, despite being very "plastic" and "organic", might become unnecessarily rigid and not very universal. Nevertheless, they are part of the development of our architecture and the manipulation of these possibilities presents the professional architect with tools he may eventually use in a project he comes across. 

The works of Gaudi in the beginning of the 20th century, or the Einstein Tower (1921) by Erich Mendelsohn, could represent the first world renowned "organic" experiments in the use of modern materials. The Ronchamp Church would be an example of form experimentation carried out by Le Corbusier in the early 1950s. However, these "architectonic/sculptural sparks", despite not being as universal as is claimed by modern architecture and the movement that supports it, represent valid exercises in experimentation which allow us to know the possibilities of reinforced concrete and its many forms.

Below are some images of the TWA Terminal, all of them obtained on the internet (the majority of them authored by photographer Ezra Stoller):

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