Blog #10 - Famous American Designers

When looking at the history of art and design in the United States, it is hard to overlook the collaborative work of Charles and Ray Eames. The combined vision of this architect and artist respectively has arguably had a profound impact, as many of their creations are considered stellar pieces of 20^th century American design.

The style of this duo grew as a reaction to modernism, and the two saw their work to be an extension of art. This led to a seamless merge with industrial design, in order to produce useful furniture and other concepts. As Charles himself noted, “Make the most with the least.” One finds this motto applied to much of his work, as he essentially revolutionized the production methods used to mold goods from plywood. As his designs were often dictated by the shape of the human body, many of Eames creations required the application of complex curves achieved through a molding process. This approach enabled him to use minimal amounts of padding and upholstery, allowing for a reduction in production costs.

Eames Splint

Plywood in particular has proven to be difficult to mold, as the pressure required in bending these sheets of wood easily results in splintering. Nevertheless, this material was an ideal substitute to metal and plastic. These industrial inputs were very limited during and after WWII, pushing Eames to continue the pursuit of reliable plywood molding. We see his attempts come to fruition in two of his most notable projects. It began with a splint designed for troops to use while deployed on oversees battlefields. It would enable for lightweight transportation, and replace metal splints which were far more prone to vibration and could lead to further injury. Because the splints were still considered prototypes in their manufacturing, they required sections to be drilled from the material, in order to relieve excessive pressure within the plywood. The grooves and passages produced by this removal of material gave medics the unique ability to secure bandages used to stop bleeding.

The knowledge Eames gained in developing this splint led him to once again approach the idea of building a chair, which he had previously considered as too complex to mold from plywood. The design was to be dictated by the material, a decision that would prove to be the key in developing the Eames Chair. This iconic piece of furniture has become a true collector’s item, as we see it gracing the office of Dr. House in the FOX TV show.

While Charles was commonly the visionary behind the form of his work, it was Ray which had the gift of dictating color. The black and white world of her husband’s design was thus illuminated by her, and led to an array of successful furniture collections after the release of their first line in 1946. The collaborative efforts of the Eames have consequently proven to be innovative for their time, yet remain advanced in the eyes of furniture connoisseurs today.