Research: Charles and Ray Eames

Charles and Ray Eames were American Designers who made huge contributions to the field of Industrial design, graphic design, photographic arts, manufacturing and architecture. The were literally had a "jack of all trades" mentality and showed no boundries on what could or couldn't 
be designed. 

Charles was born in 1907 in St.Louis Missouri. He went to school there and became interested in engineering and architecture. He then attended Washington University for two years. After attending for two years he was offered a job in an architectural firm. After gaining experience there he started his own firm in 1930. He began expanding his design ideas beyond architecture and received a fellowship to Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, where he eventually became head of the design department.

Ray Eames was born in 1912 in Sacramento, California. She studied painting with Hans Hofmann in New York before moving on to Cranbrook Academy where she met and assisted Charles and Eero Saarinen in preparing designs for the Museum of Modern Art's Organic Furniture Competition.

Charles and Ray married in 1941 and moved to California where they continued their furniture design work. During the war they were commissioned by the Navy to produce molded plywood splints, stretchers and experimental glider shells. In 1946, Evans Products began producing the Eameses' molded plywood furniture.  Their molded plywood chair was called "the chair of the century" by the influential architectural critic Esther McCoy. In 1949, Charles and Ray designed and built their own home in Pacific Palisades, California as part of the Case Study House Program sponsored by Arts and Architecture Magazine. Their design and innovative use of materials made this house a mecca for architects and designers from all over the world. It is considered one of the most important post-war residences built anywhere 
in the world. In the early 1950s, the Eameses extended their interest and skill in photography into filmmaking. They created over eighty-five short films ranging in subjects from tops to the world of Franklin and Jefferson, from simple sea creatures to the explanation of mathematical and scientific concepts, such as the workings of the computer. 

Furniture 
Early in their careers Charles and Ray identified the need for affordable, yet high-quality furniture for the average consumer. For forty years they experimented with ways to meet this challenge. They experimented with four different materials-Molded plywood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, welded wire mesh and cast aluminum. They're whole concept or goal for the creation of these chairs was to find the perfect form to compliment the human form and to make them as comfortable as possible. I am a huge proponent of functionality over form and really love that their functionality in the chairs really dictate the form of them. By doing this, they created something totally new and innovative.

Toys
In addition to furniture, the Eames also created toys. Charles was quoted as saying, "Toys are not really as innocent as they look. Toys and games are preludes to serious ideas.” I really like this quote and can relate to it in my own company. This is one of the great qualities of LEGO, it's a very simple concept for a toy but it's so inspirational and has lead to many great careers because of it's influence. Architects and engineers have been really influenced by it and they say that's why they've gone after those careers. It's so true, it's such an innocent toy but has been a prelude to these major engineering feats. It's funny because there has been the idea floating around the company every few years to do testimonial type advertising with celebrities, engineers and architects that have been influenced by LEGO. It hasn't happened yet, but just imagine how amazing it would have been to be endorsed by Charles and Ray Eames.

Graphic Design 
As if furniture design and toy design wasn't enough, the Eames also did graphic design and created things such as invites, brochures, posters, packaging designs, print and press advertisements. Ray Eames had a background in art and a bold graphic design style, Ray’s work was cutting edge and she designed several covers for the landmark magazine Arts & Architecture during the 1940s. I'm really interested in their design work but it seems like there is not much know about it. It seems like it wasn't documented as thoroughly as their furniture and toys. From what I've seen though, it seems just as diverse as they're list of things they've created. It doesn't seem like it's one specific style but doing exactly what they've done all along with they're designs...each piece is unique to the content and has it's own expression of what it is. It's great, because it's easy for modern day graphic designers to get stuck creating the same solution to different design problems. It ends up making them not unique, different and fresh. It's impressive that the Eames were so good at graphic design in addition to all the other hats they wore.