Born in Duluth, Minnesota, the grandson of Finnish immigrants, Perttula had won early recognition for his talent in the form of scholarships—first to the University of Minnesota and then to Harvard University, where he earned his master’s degree and came to the attention of the great Finnish architect Eero Saarinen. During his five years with Saarinen & Associates (based in Birmingham, Michigan), Perttula would be a part of the team that designed the University of Chicago’s Law School Library (1959) and TWA’s International Terminal at New York’s JFK Airport (1960) He would be captain of the architectural team that designed the Dulles International Air Terminal in Washington, D.C. (1962).

Perttula was recruited to Cleveland in 1961 by Dalton . Dalton . Little . Newport, for which he would serve as design principal/director of design for more than two decades. He was senior design principal for successor firm URS Consultants, Inc., from 1984 until his retirement in 1991.