A “Case Study” in California Design The Eames House: A Marvel in Modernism © 2017 Eames Office, LLC (eamesoffice.com), Antonia Mulas, Photographer
Perfectly perched on a cliff
#8 so that there could be a stronger connection between
watering to the oval around the Eames House. However,
above the Pacific Ocean in
the interior and the exterior of eucalyptus trees and ocean
with less food in the wild, starving deer have targeted
the heart of Pacific Palisades
views. Thus, the transition from the home to the studio
our plants, especially the vinca and flowers. Netting and
(a chic California coastal
through the landscape gives a calming organic exchange
sprays have only been partially successful.
community) resides one
when walking from building to building. Nonetheless, our hope is that when visitors come on site
of the most famous MidCentury Modern buildings
Charles and Ray Eames are the embodiment of
and they experience the scent, the sounds of birds, the
in Los Angeles - Case Study
inventiveness at the heart of Mid-century Modern
expanse of the sea and the shadows of the trees, they
House #8, better known as the Eames House and Studio.
American design, the couple has been recognized as
feel on a visceral level the Eameses’ original intent of
The Case Study Houses were experiments in American
the most influential designers of the 20th century. Their
being part of “the whole vast order of nature.”
residential architecture sponsored by John Entenza’s Arts
vast body of work in furniture, filmmaking and exhibition
& Architecture magazine. Husband and wife duo Charles
design is well-documented, however there is another
Charles and Ray shared a rare connection with one
and Ray Eames, along with many other architects, were
side to this designing duo than you might imagine. On
another. One of Charles’ favorite quotes was “at all times
commissioned to build inexpensive and efficient homes
a recent Saturday I sat down with Lucia Dewey Atwood,
love and discipline have led to a beautiful environment
in California for the United States residential housing
Director of the 250 Year Project at the Eames Foundation
and a good life.” Can you share or describe their
boom ushered in by the end of World War II.
and granddaughter of the famous couple. She shared
relationship with one another and, in retrospect, do
© 2017 Eames Office, LLC (eamesoffice.com)
fascinating facts and enchanting stories of life in the
you feel this played a large role in their success?
The Eames House (Case Study House #8), completed in
Eames House and a personal perspective on Charles &
They each brought very different backgrounds to their
1949 along with the adjacent Entenza House (designed
Ray’s unique California style.
pairing. When they met, each seemed to have arrived at a tipping point. Their courtship was about the work they
by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen), and the Eames property has two adjacent buildings: the two-story house
The Eames House is 1 ½ acres built on a cliff, in a niche
could do together, filled with the belief that it was a way
and the matching studio, separated by a small patio.
part of the Pacific Palisades. How has the impact of the
of creating a better world. As Charles said, “choose your
The house, served as both Charles and Ray’s home and
California drought and the sometimes harsh coastal
corner, pick away at it carefully, intensely and to the best
studio. Both buildings are simple boxes that reflect the
climate affected the original landscape of the property
of your ability and that way you might change the world.”
couple’s love of industrial design and local materials, as
through the years?
well as Ray’s bold graphic and monochromatic sensibility.
Charles and Ray intended for the site to reflect the cycles
Together, they focused on problem solving – more
The buildings are built of steel black frames and opaque,
of the California climate. When winter rains came, the
specifically, meeting a need – no matter the output or
translucent, and transparent glass - pops of primary
meadow in front of the house would grow green. By
scale. When defining the need, they kept the human
colors are the façades’ signature style along with the
summer time, the grass would have turned tan and by fall,
element front and center, whether designing a chair or
beige, black, and gray panels which mirror the colors of
the meadow would simply be dirt covered with eucalyptus
filming the 1959 bridge-building, Glimpses of the U.S.A.
the eucalyptus trees that pepper the property and lend
leaves. As Ray stated one, their home was one of the few
They focused on the core of humanity’s similarities, not
a Mondrian-style feel. There is also a concrete retaining
places in L.A. where one could experience the seasons.
humanity’s differences. And they understood profoundly that the “details … make the product … and experience.”
wall that is set up against a 150-foot high cliff that allows for stunning views of California’s majestic coastline and
The clearest impact of the drought has been on the
the pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean just below. The
meadow, which has not been green for several years;
We see speeches that Charles gave written in Ray’s
landscape of the site was so captivating that the couple
we chose to reflect the reality of the drought. This has
handwriting; we see manufacturing drawings for one of
changed their original design of the Case Study House
enabled us to reduce water usage by restricting our
Ray’s sculptures with notes in Charles’ hand. They shared
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focus, goals, and deep understanding. Each without the
The Eames Factor Fun Facts
other would have created magic, but their body of work The couple created the best-selling airport seating
• The designing couple moved into the house on
in the world. Developed in 1962 for O’Hare Airport,
Christmas Eve, 1949, and lived there for the rest of
The House is full of collectables and tokens from their
the seating system epitomizes rational, situation
their lives. The interior, its objects, and collections
adventurous life. What one thing in the house has the
specific design. The seamless back pads and seat
remain very much in tact.
most sentimental value for you and your family?
pads are interchangeable, making it easy to swap
A tumbleweed hangs from the ceiling in the living room,
out and replace. They were designed to be “light
• In 2004, Charles’s daughter, Lucia Eames, created
set there when Charles and Ray moved into their newly-
enough that the airport maintenance people could
a not-for-profit organization called the Eames
built home. They picked it up in 1941 on their honeymoon,
pick up a row of ten and sweep under it.” There are
Foundation to preserve and protect the Eames
a drive from their wedding location in Chicago to Los
even a few rows in the Apple Store in Santa Monica.
House and to provide educational experiences
would have been very different.
•
that celebrate the creative legacy of Charles and
Angeles. Of course, after 75 years, it has shrunken. Mom joked that when the string breaks, and the tumbleweed
• Ray enjoyed entertaining at the Eames House, in 1951,
falls, crashing against the floor, that someone in that future
she planned a tea ceremony to welcome sculptor
generation should go out into the California desert, pick
Isamu Noguchi and his movie-star wife Yoshiko
up a new tumbleweed and start the cycle all over again.
(Shirley) Yamaguchi. Photos show tatami mats on the
While I hope I don’t have to see that, her suggestion
floor of the Eames House living area, with one of their
feels very Eamesian: a celebration of the cycles of life; an
wire-base tables in front of each guest. A friend of the
iterative approach carried through generations; practical.
Eames, Charlie Chaplin was also a guest that night.
• Both Charles and Ray died (10 years apart) on the same day, August 21st.
Reservations are required for both the exterior self-
So it is in our object manual! •
The iconic 1960s Herman Miller Walnut Lounge and
I was inspired after my visit to the Eames house and
Ottoman by Charles and Ray Eames originally sold
my tour with you. Your keen knowledge and pride of
for $578 ($404 lounge + $174 ottoman) this did NOT
family is infectious. The Eames House and (Charles
include upholstery, which could be leather, fabric or
& Ray) are such an important part of California’s rich
Naugahyde. The vintage version today sells anywhere
design narrative, what message do you hope visitors
for $8,000 to $12,000, and was prominently featured
to the House take away with them?
in the TV show Frasier.
How the Eames House reflects the same approaches to living as can be observed in their work. The iterative
Ray. Reservations are required to tour the House.
•
Ray studied painting under Hans Hofmann. If you tour
guided visits as well as the private interior tours. There is no parking on site but public street parking is available nearby along a street called Corona del Mar.
WRITTEN BY
Maggy Siegel
process, the honest use of materials, the guest/
the house, look on the wall going up the stairs, there
Is a Los Angeles based writer, home and lifestyle arbiter and founder of the
host relationship, a deep appreciation for nature and
is a painting by Ray that reflects her roots going back
weekly column; California Style. She is a Mother, nature lover, collector of
resources that is reflected in their indoor/outdoor living.
to her studies with Hans Hofmann. In addition, she
rare vintage books as well as art and travel enthusiast. Contact information:
The importance of a deep consideration of the need,
designed twenty-six covers for Arts & Architecture
maggy@maggysiegelcaliforniastyle.com or Instagram @maggysiegelcastyle
and therefore, an openness to other cultures and an
from 1942 to 1948.
and on the web @ www.maggysiegelcaliforniastyle.com.
appreciation of different ways of doing things.
© 2017 Eames Office, LLC (eamesoffice.com), Leslie Schwartz, Photographer
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