The Eames House (also known as Case Study House No. 8), is a landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture. It was constructed in 1949 in Pacific Palisades, California (a suburb of Los Angeles) by husband-and-wife design pioneers Charles and Ray (Kaiser) Eames, to serve as their home and studio. Unusually for such an avant-garde design, the Eames publicized the house as a thoroughly lived-in, usable, and well-loved home. While many icons of the modern movement are depicted as stark, barren spaces devoid of human use, photographs and motion pictures taken at the Eames house reveal a richly decorated, almost cluttered space full of thousands of books, art objects, artifacts, amd charming knick-knacks as well as dozens of projects in various states of completion. The Eames' gracious live-work lifestyle continues to be an influential model. The Case Study Houses were experiments in residental architecture sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine, which commissioned major architects of the day, including Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, to design and build inexpensive and efficient model homes for the residential housing boom caused by the end of... Modern architecture is the term given to the range of approaches in architecture, first appearing at the beginning of the 20th century, that rejected historic precedent as a source of architectural inspiration and considered function as the prime generator of form, employing materials and technology in directly, rather than softening... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Pacific Palisades is a district within the city of Los Angeles, California located between Brentwood to the east, Malibu to the west, Santa Monica to the southeast, the Santa Monica Bay to the southwest, and the Santa Monica Mountains to the north. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... Griffith Observatory and the Downtown Los Angeles skyline. ... Design as a process can take many forms depending on the object being designed and the individual or individuals participating. ... Charles Ormond Eames, Jr (June 17, 1907 _ August 21, 1978) was an American designer, architect and filmmaker who, together with his wife Ray, is responsible for many classic, iconic designs of the 20th century. ... Ray-Bernice Alexandra Kaiser Eames (December 15, 1912 - August 21, 1988) was an American artist, designer, architect and filmmaker who, together with her husband Charles, is responsible for many classic, iconic designs of the 20th century. ...

The design of the house was proposed by Charles and Ray as part of the famous Case Study House program for John Entenza's Arts and Architecture magazine. The idea of a Case Study house was to hypothesize a modern household, elaborate its functional requirements, have an esteemed architect develop a design that met those requirements using modern materials and construction processes, and then to actually build the home. The houses were documented before, during and after construction for publication in Arts and Architecture. The Eames' proposal reflected their own household and their own needs; a young married couple wanting a place to live, work and entertain in one undemanding setting in harmony with the site. The Case Study Houses were experiments in residental architecture sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine, which commissioned major architects of the day, including Richard Neutra, Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, to design and build inexpensive and efficient model homes for the residential housing boom caused by the end of...

A site near the coast in Pacific Palisades, on a wooded bluff that was once part of Will Rogers' large estate, was selected. The design was first sketched out by Charles Eames with fellow architect Eero Saarinen in 1945 as a raised steel and glass box projecting out of the slope and spanning the entrance drive before cantilevering dramatically over the front yard. The structure was to be constructed entirely from "off-the-shelf" parts available from steel fabricators catalogs. Immediately after the war, though, these parts were in very short supply. By the time the materials arrived three years later, much pre-construction time had been spent picnicking at and exploring the lot where the house would stand. After a period of intense collaboration between the Charles and Ray, the scheme was radically changed to sit more quietly in the land and avoid impinging upon the pleasant meadow that fronted the house. Pacific Palisades is a district within the city of Los Angeles, California located between Brentwood to the east, Malibu to the west, Santa Monica to the southeast, the Santa Monica Bay to the southwest, and the Santa Monica Mountains to the north. ... Will Rogers. ... Eero Saarinen (August 20, 1910–September 1, 1961) was a Finnish-American architect of the 20th century famous for his simple sweeping and arching shapes. ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The new design tucked the house sidelong into the slope, with an 8 foot (2.4 meter) tall by 200 foot (60 meter) long concrete retaining wall on the uphill side. A mezzanine level was added, making use of a prefabricated spiral stair that was to have been the lower entrance. The upper level holds the bedrooms and overlooks the double-height living room. A courtyard was also introduced, separating the residence from the studio space. This revised scheme required only one additional beam. The 17 foot (5.1 meter) tall facade is broken down into a rigidly geometric, almost Mondrianesque composition of brightly colored panels between thin steel columns and braces, painted black. The entry door is marked with a gold-leaf panel above. An existing row of eucalyptus trees was preserved along the exposed wall of the house, providing some shading and a visual contrast with with the house's bold facade. Piet Mondrian (March 7, 1872 - February 1, 1944) was a Dutch painter and an important contributor of the De Stijl art movement, which was founded by Theo van Doesburg. ... Species About 600, see text Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of trees (rarely shrubs), the members of which dominate the tree flora of Australia. ...

The entry door to the Eames house

Of the twenty-five Case Study Houses, the Eames house is considered the most successful both as an architectural statement and as a comfortable, functional living space. The brash sleekness of the design made it a favorite backdrop for fashion shoots in the 1950s and 1960s. Perhaps the proof of its success in fulfilling its program is the fact that it remained at the center of the Eames' life and work from the time they moved in (Christmas Eve, 1949) until their deaths. Download high resolution version (850x1024, 453 KB)Main entry of the Eames House, Pacific Palisades, California. ... Download high resolution version (850x1024, 453 KB)Main entry of the Eames House, Pacific Palisades, California. ... Millennia: 1st millennium - 2nd millennium - 3rd millennium Events and trends Technology United States tests the first fusion bomb. ... Events and trends The 1960s was a turbulent decade of change around the world. ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ...

The Eames' family maintains the house as an occassional residence. They have overseen the conservation of the structure and have preserved Charles and Ray's collections and decor. The studio is used for the continuing work of the Eames Office (http://www.eamesoffice.com)

References

• Steele, James (1994). Eames House: Charles & Ray Eames (Architecture in Detail). London & New York: Phaidon. ISBN 0714842125.
• Smith, Elizabeth A. T. (1989). Blueprints for Modern Living: History and Legacy of the Case Study Houses. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 0262692139.