Charles and Ray Eames, preeminent modernist designers hailing from the mid-20th century, comprise of an absolute marvel of accomplishments from their careers. During lecture, we began covering them using Pat Kirkham’s reading in Week 4, whose writing introduced the California Modern Style (1945-1965). The Eameses’ work ranged from designing furniture (e.g. the Aluminum Furniture Group of 1956-1958, which was meant as their spin on California Modern’s indoors/outdoors lounging,) to creating entire houses for plans including the Case House Studies (1945-1966). Their house is one of the most well-known of the studies. Moreover, the Eameses continually took upon new tasks with their optimistic, problem-solving mindset. Their successes and work …show more content…
Donald Albrecht’s reading includes a quote from a personal friend of the Eameses, Bill Lacy. “There is no Eames style, only a legacy of problems beautifully and intelligently solved.” Furthermore, Albrecht includes the Eameses’ belief: “the most of the best to the greatest number of people for the least.” These two phrases showcase both their beliefs in utilizing design as a method to solve issues with the best efficiency. A prime example includes the Charles and Ray’s ability to personalize the California Modern housing experience, which was criticized in being too cold and sterile. At class, we compared and contrasted Pierre Koenig’s Case Study House #22 (1959-1960) to the Eameses’ Case Study House #8 (1949). The photo of Koenig’s Hollywood Hills design, via Kirkham’s reading, depicts a sterile, almost inhumanly smooth and pristine kitchen. The view of the city below would be up at an excruciatingly expensive price today. The only traces of human beings rest in the literal depiction of a couple at the very back of the photograph, along with a lone basket of fruit closer to the camera lens. Consequently, this design mirrors the aforementioned criticism of California Modern. Contrastingly, the Eameses’ Pacific Palisades residence hosts an eclectic abundance of décor to personalize it, including some internationally-influenced furniture, found materials, plants, and more; this creates a unique voice for their project. The knowing arrangement of everything brings comfort in the otherwise sterile California Modern movement. They modeled their own house and designed it to suit an actual person (in this case, themselves). They applied this problem-solving philosophy not only to architecture, but to the rest of their other projects such as Glimpses of the