In the early 1950s, the University of Michigan envisioned a second campus north of the Huron River. Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen was tasked by the Board of Regents with creating this plan. Saarinen, renowned for landmarks like the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the TWA Flight Center, also designed midcentury modern furniture such as the iconic Womb Chair. His blueprint laid the groundwork for what is now known as North Campus.
Due to budget constraints, only one of Saarinen’s designs was built—the Earl V. Moore Building, initially named the School of Music Building, which houses the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. The building’s facade, with vertical windows and horizontal brick patterns, resembles piano keys. Its design harmonizes with the surrounding wooded hills and pond, featuring SMTD studios, classrooms, and practice spaces.
In 1975, the building was named after U-M music icon Earl V. Moore, a Michigan-trained organist and educator with degrees from 1912 and 1914. He served as director and later dean of the School of Music starting in 1940. Tragically, Saarinen passed away in 1961 from a brain tumor before seeing his designs realized. The Gateway Arch was finished in October 1965, the TWA Flight Center opened in 1962, and the School of Music Building was dedicated on Dec. 16, 1964.
The Earl V. Moore Building has expanded over time, with significant additions in 1985 and 2015. Today, the 143,000-square-foot facility includes rehearsal and performance spaces, studios, a music technology center, and a renowned music library supporting musicians and scholars on and beyond the campus.
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