Happy Birthday, Charles Eames

Today would be the 100th birthday of Charles Eames.

As I get older I find myself ever more appreciative of what Charles and his wife and design partner, Ray, were able to accomplish:

• A blending of timely and timeless style
• Innovative use of materials and manufacturing methods
• An empathy for the changing culture and individual attitudes and behaviors
• Embracing of constraints as a route to optimization not compromise
• A blending of a studious approach with persistent joy
  
• Above all, a belief in appropriateness discovered through experimentation

The Eameses carried everything off with a sense of effortlessness, but in fact their process was anything but effortless. In fact it was ridiculously hard work.

NPR story this morning featuring an interview with the Eames’es grandson, Demetrios Eames

Comments

[Gong Szeto]

i agree with everything you've said about them. yes - happy 100, charles! great post.

g

[stacey]

thanks for posting this...design is a good idea.