Eero Saarinen was a Finnish American architect from the 20th century that produced various forms of art, while always adding his unique style. I
was very surprised to look him up to learn more about him and find that he did one of the
most magnificent monuments in the United States. “The Gateway Arch,” also known
as “Gateway to the West,” was a submission by Saarinen after the Jefferson
National Expansion Memorial Administration (JMENA) held a competition from 1945
to 1948 to create a monument in St. Louis, Missouri, in order to revive their
riverfront and stimulate the economy and become the centerpiece of the
Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.
The arch, which is exactly 630 feet high and wide, stands exactly at the place where St. Louis was founded. The structure’s legs are equilateral triangles that narrow from 54 feet to 17 feet. The walls are stainless steel covering two carbon-steel walls and reinforced concrete to 300 feet and carbon steel to the peek. The top of the arch is hallow so to be used as an observation deck with many windows overlooking the city. The building is also designed in such an mathematical way that it is earthquake proof, can sway nine inches in either direction, and can stand up to 150 miles per hour winds. This building is not only the symbol for St. Louis, but is also the tallest man-made monument in the United Sates, Missouri’s tallest accessible building, and the largest architectural structure design as a catenary arch. I think it is amazing that Saarinen created such a momentous monument that really captures the essence of St. Louis.
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