The Architect and The Painter

Case Study House ＃8

Last week with friends from the Design Blog Collective, we gathered at Vitra to view the excellent documentary "The Architect and The Painter" about Ray and Charles Eames. It was the story of how they came together at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, married, moved to California and together designed many of the classic, iconic designs of the 20th Century, a very fruitful and collaborative relationship.

Their work expanded beyond furniture to photography, film, graphics and communication. They had a work ethic that work is play and play is work, their enjoyment came from the close involvement in their many projects. With an initial dream and drive to make well designed, beautiful and affordable furniture using new materials and methods like molded plywood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, bent metal wire and aluminum – offering consumers beautiful, functional, yet inexpensive products and are some of my favorite pieces of furniture:

Furniture became sculpture but using studied measurements of the body, their furniture was comfortable. Their methods brought together art, industry and science.

For this showing that was arranged by Katie, our design geek, a big thank you and another for Jane Thompson of Vitra UK, a supplier and showroom of healthy, intelligent, inspiring and durable furniture.