Charles and Ray Eames

Charles and Ray Eames

Charles Eames lived between 1907 and 1978.  Ray Eames lived between 1912 and 1988.  They were two American designers who contributed a lot to Modern architecture and furniture.  They also had an input in film, graphic design and fine art.

They gave shape to the 20th century of America and their works represented the social and cultural movements that were occurring in America at the time.  Some of these changes included the west coast becoming of age, the economy's shift from making goods to producing information and the American culture becoming a global culture.  They thought of Modern design as a means of embracing social change.

The Eameses experimented a lot with different materials.  One of their most popular success was the moulding of plywood.  They experimented with technologies like fiber glass, plastic resin chairs and wire mesh. (Information taken from Wikipedia)

Their last production was the Eames Sofa which went into production in 1984.

The 'Eames House' is another very popular design of theirs.  It is located in California and is considered to be a Natural Historic Landmark (since 2006).  This house is extremely important as a postwar residential building.
"This house was designed as an attempt toward a living pattern and not as a fixed architectural pattern.  The materials used are steel frame and factory windows with plaster and glass used in panels." - Frank Harris and Weston Bonenberger, ed. A Guide to Contemporary Architecture in Southern California p.34

"In the exhibit, we are trying to show something about a decision that the designer must make when he starts to work for a client. We have found it a very helpful strategy to restrict our own work to subjects that are of genuine and immediate interest to us—and are of equal interest to the client. If we were to work on things or in ways that we knew were not of legitimate concern to both of us, we probably would not be serving our clients, or ourselves, very well. Throughout the work for the various clients, the unifying force is this common interest, plus a preoccupation with structure which comes from looking at all problems as architectural ones... As client and designer get to know each other, they influence each other. As society's needs become more apparent, both client and designer expand their own personal concerns to meet these needs."- Charles Eames. from the catalogue for the exhibition What is Design? p14.

Some of their works include:

Eames House

Wire Mesh Chair

Eames Chair

Eames Sofa