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Both structures are predominantly characterized by their steel frame construction, filled with a variety of colored panels. The colored panels aren’t merely decorative; they are functional elements carefully calibrated to provide shifting patterns of light and shade throughout the day. The impact of light, so finely tuned in the design, showcases influences from Japanese architecture.
Quotes by Charles Eames
Eames Institute unveils new Eames Archives space in the Bay Area - Archinect
Eames Institute unveils new Eames Archives space in the Bay Area.
Posted: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The multi-bathroom facilities are also an ode to how Charles and Ray valued their visitors and their experience of the house visit. The studio block also contains a bathroom, as the family usually ended up sleeping there during the summer. In contrast to the cold steel frames that make up the skeleton of the house, the interior of the Ray and Charles’ house is very warm, colorful, and inviting, especially considering the wooden floor finish used throughout. The site is mostly flat aside from one steep part of the land that imitates a western retaining wall. The house is a true example of the De Stijl Movement that took place outside of Europe. What started out as a case study turned into the lifelong home and workplace of two creatives who intended for the house to be a blueprint for living.
Case Study House #8
Learn more about the Eames Foundation, its 250-year preservation plan for the Eames House, and how to visit this historic landmark. Charles and Ray moved into the Eames House (Case Study House #8) on Christmas Eve in 1949, and lived there for the rest of their lives. The interior, its objects, and its collections remain very much the way they were in Charles and Ray’s lifetimes.
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Kwickset launches adaptable prefab housing system based on unbuilt Eames house - MSN
Kwickset launches adaptable prefab housing system based on unbuilt Eames house.
Posted: Sat, 30 Mar 2024 00:59:27 GMT [source]
The Eames was meant to be an updated version of a 19th-century English club chair with the warm, welcoming look of a well-worn baseball mitt. And while the chair wasn't created with a "For Dudes" stamp on it, after almost 70 years of marketing and culture, it's developed a certain reputation. Even though the windows, photography is not permitted, and visitors are asked not to take pictures about 20 feet from the house.
Country With the Most Tallest Buildings – The Most Skyscrapers
The composition of exposed structure is softened by the artful arrangement of pops of color, akin to a Mondrian painting. The play of solid and void filters the sunlight, provides privacy, and creates ever-changing shadows and patterns on the floor. Contrast to the cold steel framing that forms the structure, the interior of the house is warm and comforting with its wood-block floor and the soft light penetrating into each room through each day.
Eames House, Pacific Palisades 1948
The chair made appearances in the pages of men's magazines in the '60s and eventually worked its way into popular culture — it could be spotted on the sitcom "Frasier" in the '90s. So whether you’re a design enthusiast or appreciate great architecture, an up-close look at the Eames House is a must if you are in Santa Monica or anywhere near Los Angeles. It’s a testament to the power of good design and a reminder that simplicity and beauty can coexist in perfect harmony.
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Perhaps the proof of its success in fulfilling its program is the fact that it remained at the center of the Eameses' life and work from the time they moved in (Christmas Eve 1949) until their deaths. If you are a mid-century modern architecture or furniture design fan, then Case Study House #8, also known as the Eames House, is probably already on your bucket list. The combination of the black lines created by the pre-manufactured steel supports and the primary-colored panels have a sense of familiarity to it because it strongly reminds of the famous Piet Mondrian paintings. While doing a paint excavation study for the conservation plan of the house, researchers found that some of the panels were previously painted a warm gray, which indicated that Ray Eames mixed the paint by hand. The Eames House, which is also referred to as the Case Study House 8, is a prime example of modern architecture that is found in Los Angeles.
The Eames House is considered one of the most influential post-World War II residences in the world—one in which we hope will continue to inspire architects, designers, and an array of people across the globe. The rooms are liberating, flowing into one another even between floors through the double-height spaces. For example, the bedroom on the upper level overlooks the public living room with a short terrace that connects the rooms. There are no major divisions other than the separation of the two boxes, which still merge into one another with the courtyard. The house is an unrolling scroll of a Mondrian painting that exemplifies the use prefabricated materials to create beautiful endless space. Originally known as Case Study House No. 8, the Eames House was such a spatially pleasant modern residence that it became the home of the architects themselves.

In 2012, the Getty Conservation Institute pledged $250K to preserve it for future generations. The Eames House is actually made up of two different glass and steel rectangular structures— one is the house and the other a studio. The structures are both two stories tall and their exteriors are covered in black-painted grids. This only consists of an exterior tour due to the sensitive nature of the historical materials in the house. The reasoning behind this was that only the husband had to get ready for work during the mornings. Of course, post-war, when women were also becoming accustomed to having jobs, the multi-bathroom home became a popular notion in America.

This is because it was considered a functional and comfortable living space while at the same time making an architectural statement. The Case Study House 8 was such an inspiration that it was even used as the setting for fashion shoots during the 1950s and 1960s for magazine publications like “Vogue”. Just goes to show that human-centered design was and will probably always be the most sought-after design style.
An 8-foot tall by 200-foot long concrete wall helps to anchor the site while also setting a dramatic backdrop for the architecture. Nestled in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles stands the Eames House, also known as Case Study House No. 8. It is more than just a work of mid-century modern architecture; it’s an enduring testament to the design sensibilities and philosophies of Charles and Ray Eames, the husband-and-wife team who not only designed it but also called it home. Built in 1949, this iconic structure encapsulates the couple’s holistic approach to design and life. Of the twenty-five Case Study Houses built, the Eames house is considered the most successful both as an architectural statement and as a comfortable, functional living space.
It was part of the Case Study House Program, a pioneering initiative launched by the magazine Arts & Architecture in 1945 to explore the potential of modern architecture in post-World War II America. Leading architects of the time were commissioned to design and build low-cost, innovative homes that could be easily replicated for the masses. The Eames House tour is an experience that allows you a glimpse into the life of this prolific duo. Whether you want to better understand mid-century design, enjoy a peak at the working spaces, or just looking for a fun afternoon, this reservation is a must.
The ‘Bridge House,’ as it was first called, got its start in 1945, when Charles Eames and close friend Eero Saarinen began designing it. The home was part of the ‘Case Study House’ program, an ambitious idea set forth by Arts and Architecture Magazine that had architects create “progressive yet modest homes” that were fit for humanity’s place in the modern world. Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable, and I only wish I could have thought of more questions to ask at the time.