We all have a concept of our life. An idea of how we would like to live. The concept of this idea is how the Eames Case Study House #8 came into existence.
Before we chat about the house, let’s acknowledge the designers and inhabitants. The Eames are undeniably one of the most powerful design influences of modern time. Charles and Ray Eames constructed their lives around design where play, discovery, adventure all intersected to spawn game-changing design. Their pursuit of and declaration of design spanned decades in furniture, architecture and film.
On a recent trek to Los Angeles, I made it a point to visit the Eames Case Study House in the gorgeous Pacific Palisades. The house exists because of Arts and Architecture magazine publisher John Entenza. In the 1940’s, he launched The Case Study House Project in which 24 houses were designed and built with the magazine as the client. Each home was to showcase how modern man would live. Charles and Ray submitted their design concept, #8, for a structured on a beautiful meadow with ocean views in the charming Pacific Palisades. The property is in a premium Los Angeles area that perfectly blends the woods with ocean views that speak to your soul. According to the Eames, the land beckoned a home design that conformed to the area with minimal intrusion or interruption. Their other caveat was for a married, childless couple to inhabit the home. Their plan extended to include the couple’s profession that would allow them to work in an adjacent structure. In 1949, the Eames moved into Case Study House #8, comprised of two pre-fab structures, where they would live for the remainder of their lives. The exterior and interior have been preserved as they had arranged.
The house is on the National Historic Landmark’s list. It’s a serene excursion that is simple, authentic and inquisitive. If you pay close attention, you’ll notice the nuances of their design, their use of scale, repetition and playfulness.
Learn More
The house )including delays, change of plans and other details), including visits and tours, click here.
Read what the New York Times has to say, click here.
To learn more about them, watch Eames: The Architect and the Painter:
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and The Powers of 10:
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