The Eames House

  Hello fellow FA102 classmates!

Case Study #8: The Eames House

I'm writing to divulge the intimate details of my Eames House Voyage. Just to begin before the details of the trip, here is some background context.  

The Eames. Charles and Ray Eames. The Eames Lounge Chair. Et Cetera... 

The Eames power couple were intricate components in developing the aesthetic of Modern architecture and furniture. Think of two-part lounge chairs, airport chairs, and plastic armchairs -- all components of the Eames legacy. 

The Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman

Even take a trip down memory lane and think back to the first day of class when we attempted to define the word "design." Charles Eames voiced... Design is "a plan for arranging elements in such a way as to best accomplish a particular purpose.


Arrangement! Elements! Purpose! 

And now to begin. On one unusually foggy Sunday morning, I ventured north to the Pacific Palisades to the home of Charles and Ray Eames. As an experiment for the Case Study Houses, Charles and Ray Eames created an house entirely from industrial, off-the-shelf materials. Translation -- the entirety of their house was ordered from a catalogue (which was revolutionary during the times...) 


Look. 
Look. 
Look. 

1. Steel Framing
2. Opaque Windows 
3. Rayon Linens for Curtains 

The Colors... specifically mixed by Ray Eames herself  (a painter before marrying Charles; also worked under Hans Hoffman, New York School abstract expressionist painter). Earth Whites. Neutral Gray. Primary Blues. and Primary Reds. But no yellows... so the primary triad was not complete. Alas. 

The house... rectilinear, modular, and modern. Divided into two 1) the study space and 2) the living space. Charles and Ray wanted a place where they could live, work, and entertain, PLUS a home that harmonized with nature. Thus, it was built next to a grassy meadow that overlooked the ocean. 

The Meadow!

The Eames were innovative and insightful in their approach to designing this house. Despite Charles's misogynistic affair with a younger woman, the Eames and the Eames house are forces to be reckoned with. I highly recommend the documentary, (found on netflix with 88% on rotton tomatoes AND narrated by James Franco). So on that note, I leave you with some boring iPhone pics...   

The Courtyard. Dividing the Living and Studio Space 

HOPE YOU ENJOYED! 

-- Feibi 

Map Art

This is an article that I found very interesting. It is about an artist who creates works using pieces from geography maps.

http://www.youthedesigner.com/2012/11/28/you-be-inspired-amazing-map-art-collages-of-matthew-cusick/

-Rajiv Ramakabir

Drawing Surrealism

Recently I went to LACMA, and one of the exhibits I visited was "Drawing Surrealism." A piece that really attracted my attention was E.L.T. Mesens's The Disconcerting Light (La Lumiere deconcertante) (1926). 

Its medium was a photo collage and photogram. The focal point of this piece is an eye pupil with a light beam extending across the black sky. The eye is embedded into a cityscape with skyscrapers and other city buildings. I can definitely see the juxtaposition of non-related items signature of Dadaism. What defines this piece from the earlier Surrealist works is the assembly of photos creating a non-seamless product. I liked this component of the piece—the photographs layered together added a sense of eclecticism. I also really enjoyed the contrast between the tones of the pitch-black sky and the white light beam. The composition was put very well together and there is harmony despite the contrasting images.

This piece reminded me of the whole gestalt project; I could image it in black and white gouache.