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the eames case study house #8

Eames House and Studio (Case Study House #8)

One of the most famous Mid-Century Modern buildings in Los Angeles, designed by its owners, legendary designers Charles and Ray Eames, as two simple boxes that reflect the Eames' love of industrial design and materials.

the eames case study house #8

Place Details

  • Charles and Ray Eames

Designation

  • Private Residence - Do Not Disturb

Property Type

  • Single-Family Residential
  • Los Angeles

Case Study House #8, better known as the Eames House and Studio, is one of the most famous Mid-Century Modern buildings in Los Angeles. It was designed by its owners, legendary designers Charles and Ray Eames, for  Arts & Architecture  magazine’s Case Study House program.

Completed in 1949 along with the adjacent Entenza house (designed by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen), the Eames property actually contains two adjacent buildings: the two-story house and the matching studio, separated by a small patio. Both buildings are simple boxes that reflect the Eames’ love of industrial design and materials, as well as Ray Eames’ bold graphic and monochromatic sensibility. They are built of steel frames clad in fixed panels made of plaster, wood, and glass, some opaque, some translucent, and some transparent. Pops of white and bright primary colors among the beige, black, and gray panels lend a Mondrian-style touch to the façades.

The design is modular, highlighting its industrial nature, and the structure of the buildings is abundantly evident. But the house’s interior is anything but rigid and cold.

Clad in warm woods and packed with custom-designed furniture, plants, and folk art, the inside of the house illustrates how inviting Modern design can be.

The two-story-high living area feels like a treehouse, lit with natural sunlight dappled by the eucalyptus trees outside. Today, the Eames Foundation maintains the Eames House and Studio as a truthful and inspiring icon of Modern design.

The Conservancy does not own or operate the Eames House and Studio.

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the eames case study house #8

The Eames House (also known as Case Study House No. 8) is a landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. It was designed and constructed in 1949 by husband-and-wife Charles and Ray Eames to serve as their home and studio.

It was one of roughly two dozen homes built as part of The Case Study House Program. Begun in the mid-1940s and continuing through the early 1960s, the program was spearheaded by John Entenza, the publisher of  Arts & Architecture magazine. It was developed to address a looming issue: a housing crisis. Millions of soldiers would be returning from the battlefields of World War II, and were wanting to start families. John Entenza recognized that houses needed to be built quickly, inexpensively, yet without sacrificing good design. In a challenge to the architectural community, the magazine announced that it would be the client for a series of homes designed to express man’s life in the modern world. These homes were to be built and furnished using materials and techniques derived from the experiences of the Second World War. Each home was designed with a real or hypothetical client in mind, taking into consideration their particular housing needs.

Click here to see their design brief more clearly from the December 1945 issue of Arts & Architecture .

First Design: Bridge House (unbuilt)

The first plan of the Eameses’ home, known as the Bridge House, was designed in 1945 by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen. The design used pre-fabricated materials ordered from catalogues, a continuation of the idea of mass-production. The parts were ordered and the Bridge House design was published in the December 1945 issue of the magazine, but due to a war-driven shortage, the steel did not arrive until late 1948.

While they were waiting for delivery, Charles and Ray picnicked in the meadow with family and friends, flew kites and did archery.  By then, Charles and Ray had “fallen in love with the meadow,” in Ray’s words, and they realized that they wanted to avoid what many architects had done: destroy what they loved most about a site by building across it.

Second Design: Eames House

Charles and Ray then set themselves a new problem: How to build a house that would 1) not destroy the meadow and trees, and 2) “maximize volume from minimal materials”.  Using the same off-the-shelf parts, but notably ordering one extra steel beam, Charles and Ray re-configured the House. The new design integrated the House into the landscape, rather than imposing the House on it. These plans were published in the May 1949 issue of Arts & Architecture .  It is this design that was built and is seen today.

Charles and Ray moved into the House on Christmas Eve, 1949, and lived there for the rest of their lives.  The interior, its objects and its collections remain very much the way they were in Charles and Ray’s lifetimes.  The house they created offered them a space where work, play, life, and nature co-existed.

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 folk art, thousands of books, shells, rocks, prisms, etc. The Eameses’ gracious live-work lifestyle continues to be an influential model.

The House has now become something of an iconographic structure visited by people from around the world.  The charm and appeal of the House is perhaps best explained in the words of the Case Study House Program founder, John Entenza, who felt that the Eames House “represented an attempt to state an idea rather than a fixed architectural pattern.”

Help us share the Eameses’ joy and rigor with future visitors, so they may have a direct experience of Charles and Ray’s approach to life and work.

the eames case study house #8

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Iconic House: The Eames House, Case Study House 8

By Devanshi Shah

Iconic House The Eames House Case Study House 8

Iconic House

House: Case Study House 8, 1945-1949 Architect: Ray and Charles Eames Style: Mid-20th century modern Location: 203 North Chautauqua Boulevard, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California

About the Case Study House Program

The Eames House, Case Study House 8, was one of roughly two-dozen homes built as part of The Case Study House Program. John Entenza, the publisher of Arts & Architecture magazine, spearheaded the program in the mid-1940s, and it continued through the early 1960s. In a challenge to the architectural community, the magazine announced that it would be the client for a series of homes designed to express man's life in the modern world. These houses were to be built and furnished using materials and techniques derived from the experiences of the Second World War.

Case Study House 8 is an iconic house designed by Charles and Ray Eames in Los Angeles California

About the Architecture

The current building was initially designed as the “Bridge House” by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen. Early sketches were published in the Arts & Architecture magazine in 1945, however war-related shortages delayed construction. In 1948, when the material finally arrived, Charles and Ray had fallen in love with the surrounding meadows and reformatted the building using the same material, with the addition of a single steel section. The new plans were published in Art & Architecture magazine in 1949.

The architect had the liberty to choose his client, real or hypothetical, in order to designate the particulars of the house. Charles and Ray proposed that the house they design be “for a married couple working in design and graphic arts, whose children were no longer living at home.” Eames House is a prominent architectural example of the influence of the De Stijl Movement outside Europe. The sliding walls and windows give it the trademark versatility and openness of the De Stijl Movement.

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Case Study House 8 is an iconic house designed by Charles and Ray Eames in Los Angeles California

Current Status

In 2004, Charles's daughter, Lucia Eames, created a not-for-profit organization called the Eames Foundation to preserve and protect the Eames House and to provide educational experiences that celebrate the creative legacy of Charles and Ray Eames.

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ArchEyes

  • INSPIRATION

The Eames House: A Deep Dive into Case Study House 8

Case Study House Charles and Ray Eames Los Angeles Santa Monica California ArchEyes Taylor Simpson

Nestled in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles stands the Eames House, also known as Case Study House No. 8. It is more than just a work of mid-century modern architecture; it’s an enduring testament to the design sensibilities and philosophies of Charles and Ray Eames, the husband-and-wife team who not only designed it but also called it home. Built in 1949, this iconic structure encapsulates the couple’s holistic approach to design and life.

Eames House Technical Information

  • Architects: Ray and Charles Eames
  • Location: 203 North Chautauqua Boulevard, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles , USA
  • Topics: Mid-Century Modern
  • Area: 1,500 ft 2 |  140  m 2
  • Project Year: 1945 – 1949
  • Photographs: © Eames Office, See Captions
The role of the designer is that of a very good, thoughtful host anticipating the needs of his guests.  – Charles and Ray Eames 1-2

Eames House Photographs

Case Study House Charles and Ray Eames Los Angeles Santa Monica California ArchEyes edward

The Eames House: A Living Laboratory for Design Exploration 

From its initial construction to its life today as a museum, the Eames House offers a rich tapestry of history, ingenuity, and practical elegance. Commissioned by Arts & Architecture magazine for their Case Study House program, this residence has endured as a beacon of what Charles and Ray stood for—efficiency, innovation, and the honest use of materials. As Charles once said, “Just as a good host tries to anticipate the needs of his guest, so a good architect or a designer or a city planner tries to anticipate the needs of those who will live in or use the thing being designed.”

The Eameses purchased 1.4 acres from Arts & Architecture owner John Entenza in 1945, but the journey to the final construction was rife with modifications and resource constraints. Initial designs by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen , which envisioned a glass and steel box cantilevering dramatically over the property, were shelved. In part, due to material shortages in the post-war era, Charles and Ray turned inward, observing and soaking in the nuances of the site. The eventual design had the house sitting quietly in the land, harmonizing with the natural surroundings rather than imposing on it.

Two distinct boxes make up the residence—one serves as the living quarters and the other as a studio. The house and studio are separated by a concrete retaining wall that integrates seamlessly with the existing landscape. An 8-foot tall by 200-foot long concrete wall helps to anchor the site while also setting a dramatic backdrop for the architecture.

Both structures are predominantly characterized by their steel frame construction, filled with a variety of colored panels. The colored panels aren’t merely decorative; they are functional elements carefully calibrated to provide shifting patterns of light and shade throughout the day. The impact of light, so finely tuned in the design, showcases influences from Japanese architecture.

The Eames House doesn’t just make a statement from the outside; the interiors are equally compelling. The house is a melting pot of the Eameses’ diverse interests and design sensibilities—featuring Isamu Noguchi lamps , Thonet chairs, Native American baskets, and more. The living spaces are meticulously designed to serve multiple functions—a living room that transforms into a workspace, alcoves that turn into intimate conversation spots, and hallways lined with functional storage closets.

Living as Work, Work as Living

Case Study House Charles and Ray Eames Los Angeles Santa Monica California ArchEyes office

One of the most unique aspects of the Eames House is how it serves as a living laboratory for Charles and Ray’s iterative design process. As is evident from their film “Powers of Ten” or the constant evolution of their iconic furniture, the couple believed in refining, adjusting, and perfecting. The house was no different—it was a perpetual project, an embodiment of their philosophy of “life in work and work in life.”

For Charles and Ray, details weren’t just details—they were the product. The panels, steel columns, and even the gold-leaf panel marking the entry door were not afterthoughts but an integral part of the architectural dialogue. The Eames House reflects this in its intricate interplay of textures, colors, and spaces that come together to create a harmonious whole.

The Eames House is notable for its De Stijl influences, seen in the sliding walls and windows that allow for versatility and openness. It stands as a successful adaptation of European modernist principles within an American context.

The Eames House is not just an architectural statement but a comprehensive worldview translated into physical form. From its thoughtful integration with the landscape to its detailed articulations, it represents the legacy of two of the 20 th century’s most influential designers. Charles and Ray

Eames House Plans

Case Study House Charles and Ray Eames Los Angeles Santa Monica California ArchEyes plans

Eames House Image Gallery

Case Study House Charles and Ray Eames Los Angeles Santa Monica California ArchEyes edward stojakovic

About Ray and Charles Eames

Charles and Ray Eames were a husband-and-wife design team who became icons of mid-20th-century modern design. Working primarily in the United States, they gained prominence for their contributions across multiple disciplines, including architecture, furniture design, industrial design, film, and exhibitions. Perhaps best known for their innovative furniture pieces, like the Eames Lounge Chair and Molded Plastic Chairs, they also left a lasting impact on architecture, most notably with the Eames House, also known as Case Study House No. 8. Their work is characterized by a playful yet disciplined approach, with a focus on functional design, innovative use of materials, and the importance of user experience.

Notes & Additional Credits

  • While the quote is not specifically about the Eames House, it reflects the philosophy the Eameses applied to their design work, including their home. The Eames House is a manifestation of their belief in the “guest-host relationship,” where every design decision is made with the user’s experience in mind.
  • Charles & Ray Eames: 1907-1978, 1912-1988: Pioneers of Mid-century Modernism  by Gloria Koenig

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Eames House / CSH nº8

the eames case study house #8

Introduction

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How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses?

How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 1 of 20

  • Written by Lilly Cao
  • Published on May 20, 2021

The Case Study Houses (1945-1966), sponsored by the Arts & Architecture Magazine and immortalized by Julius Shulman ’s iconic black-and-white photographs, may be some of the most famous examples of modern American architecture in history. Designed to address the postwar housing crisis with quick construction and inexpensive materials, while simultaneously embracing the tenets of modernist design and advanced contemporary technology, the Case Study Houses were molded by their central focus on materials and structural design. While each of the homes were designed by different architects for a range of clients, these shared aims unified the many case study homes around several core aesthetic and structural strategies: open plans, simple volumes, panoramic windows, steel frames, and more. Although some of the Case Study Houses’ materials and strategies would become outdated in the following decades, these unique products and features would come to define a historic era of architectural design in the United States.

How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 13 of 20

Among the most important unifying aesthetic strategies of the Case Study projects was a modernist focus on exposed structure and functional design. The Eames House (Case Study House 8), designed by prominent industrial design couple Charles and Ray Eames, was intended to express man’s life in the modern world using “straightforward, unselfconscious” design. Thus, the designers made no attempt to conceal or disguise the structural functions of the steel: it acted as interlocking decking and open-webbed joists on the roof, sashing for windows and doorways, exterior wall siding, and H-beams securing the home’s rectangular frame. The most that these components were altered was with an unobtrusive coating of paint: the façade’s steel beams were originally painted a “warm grey” that over time became glossy black, while the Ferrobord steel roof decking system was painted white on its underside with open-web joists left exposed and alternately painted white, black, and yellow. These paint treatments, rather than obscuring the structural performance of these steel pieces, only served to highlight and integrate them within the building’s larger design scheme of colorful paints and panels.

How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 12 of 20

Two of the other most famous Case Study Houses , the Bailey House (Case Study House 21) and the Stahl House (Case Study House 22), were designed by Pierre Koenig and similarly embraced what were then advanced steel construction strategies. Koenig had had previous hands-on experience with steel construction: while still enrolled as an architecture student at the University of Southern California, he designed and built his first steel-framed house for himself and his family. For the Bailey House, he used four prefabricated steel bents to compose the home’s steel framing system and another three half-span bents for the covered carport. Designed according to an L-shaped plan with a solid rectangular core that housed utilities, the volume was a simple rectangular box with visual emphasis placed on the steel structural skeleton. In the core, the sandwiched steel decking walls concealed insulation wiring and pipes, while the perimeter language of the home alternated between sliding glass doors and opaque steel walls. Koenig’s Stahl House , which was built several years later, similarly embraced a simple L-shaped rectangular volume with alternating steel beams and panoramic glass windows.

How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 2 of 20

Aesthetically functioning hand-in-hand with the stripped steel frame, glass windows are therefore another essential component of many of the Case Study Houses . Three sides of the Stahl House were made with plate glass, the largest available size at the time, allowing for panoramic views from the site’s elevated Los Angeles hillside. Similarly, the Eames House variously utilized clear polished plate glass, factrolite textured glass, wire-embedded safety glass, and translucent corrugated glass, which helped cast planes, shadows, and beams of light through the steel frame and colored façade panels. Using the factrolite glass for privacy and the wire-embedded glass for utilitarian uses and safety, the Eames couple made glass an essential part of the house’s aesthetic and functional design.

How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 9 of 20

This material illuminated another one of the Case Study House’s most essential aesthetic strategies: facilitating a connection with nature by merging and reflecting interior and exterior. Each of the homes utilized an open plan and glass façade explicitly open to their natural surroundings, with some—including the Eames House, Bailey House, Stahl House, and Case Study House 28—incorporating an artificial courtyard, pool, or pond as well. In the Eames House, which included a rectangular residential building and separate studio building connected linearly by an intermediate courtyard, the doors, curtains, and windows could be opened to unify the site into a single long open-air span. In the Bailey House, which incorporated a small shallow pond along the perimeter, the pond mirrored the reflectiveness of the panoramic windows and made the structure appear as if it was floating. Moreover, while the interior core of the house—including bathrooms and utility areas—was largely concealed by opaque steel walls, the roof was pierced to allow access to exterior elements in even these private spaces. Finally, melting the barriers between interior and exterior through the extensive use of glass, Case Study House 28 incorporated a total of 4500 square feet of glass windows shaded by large overhangs.

How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 14 of 20

This connection to nature was facilitated by other material strategies as well. In Koenig’s Bailey House, the pond water was actually circulated up through the gutters and roof scuppers, rendering it an early experiment with environmental control systems. In the Eames House, a long tallowwood wall (tallowwood being the hard, durable wood of eucalyptus trees) was installed parallel to the line of eucalyptus trees gracing the front of the façade. These experiments in incorporation and reflection tempered the efficiency and functionalism of high modernist design with a correlative attention to nature.

How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 7 of 20

Another important part of the Case Study House experiment was their use of new postwar materials and technologies. The Eames House, for example, used the Celotex Corporation’s Cemesto , a pioneering, pre-engineered construction panel that was touted at the time for its low maintenance and ease of installation. With a structural strength that entirely eliminated the need for intermediate structural support, the Cemesto panel could function simultaneously as an interior and exterior wall surface with no extra insulation, protective coating, or interior wall surfacing. The Eames House also utilized Wall-tex, a form of waterproof protection and wear resistance for interior walls invented in 1931, and plyon, a type of laminated lightweight material for cabinetry facing that was originally used in aircraft during World War II. These products demonstrated the design mission of the Case Study Houses as efficient residences for modern Americans.

How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 11 of 20

Yet despite these many unifying characteristics, each of the Case Study Houses featured important material idiosyncrasies as well. The design motivation for Case Study House 28, for example, was to use the traditional material of facebrick in a structural, modern way. Thus, almost the entirety of the house was constructed with facebrick and glass, meaning it also required almost no maintenance or finishes. The use of brick was highly unusual among the Case Study Houses, most of which, as stated above, predominately used steel, glass, and occasionally wood or concrete. Likewise, the Eames House is perhaps most famous for its colorful paneling, mixing Grey Cemesto panels, off-white, black, blue, and orange/red plaster panels, and gold leaf or photographic panels in special locations around the site. Finally, the Entenza House , which Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen codesigned, similarly utilized a simplistic and flexible steel frame structure yet chose to conceal this structure with interior wood paneled cladding.

How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 3 of 20

Over time, the flaws in the original material choices were also slowly revealed: many of the case study houses used only single panel glass, which would prove to make passive temperature control difficult and thus poor from a sustainability perspective. Most tellingly, the Stahl House—which may be the most famous of the Case Study Houses--, while remembered fondly by its inhabitants, would also have to suffer important changes to make it more livable: replacing the windows with shatterproof glass, adding a walkway around the cantilevered living room for window washers, and covering the floors with carpet to make them safer for children.

How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 15 of 20

Altogether, the materials of the Case Study Houses played an essential role in their aesthetics, structures, and function. Despite the incredible innovations and advancements that would change architecture dramatically in the years following, these materials would nevertheless define one of the most iconic eras of American modernist architecture. Embracing stripped-back structural aesthetics, a connection to nature, advanced technology and materials, and experimental design, these houses—and their materials—represented the vanguard of modern construction and design.

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How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses? - Image 1 of 20

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The Entenza House / Charles & Ray Eames, Eero Saarinen & Associates. Image © Julius Shulman Photography Archive

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Eames House – The Modern Stylings of Case Study House 8

Avatar for Kylie Deyzel

The Eames House, which is also referred to as the Case Study House 8, is a prime example of modern architecture that is found in Los Angeles. The Eames House had a large impact on interior design as a concept and is overall very inspirational to architects and interior designers alike. Charles and Ray Eames were pioneers of combining human-centered design with warmth and comfort to create a perfect living and working space for them, their family, and guests.

Table of Contents

  • 1.1 About Charles and Ray Eames
  • 2.1 How the House Was Built
  • 2.2 The Exterior of the Eames House
  • 2.3 The Interior of the Eames House
  • 3 Conservation of the Eames House
  • 4.1 Who Lived in the Eames House?
  • 4.2 How Many Case Study Houses Still Exist?
  • 4.3 Are the Case Study Houses Open for Visitation?
  • 4.4 What Is a Case Study in Architecture?
  • 4.5 What Is the Significance of the Eames House?
  • 4.6 How Much Is the Eames House Worth?
  • 4.7 How Much Does It Cost to Visit the Eames House?

History of the Eames House

The Eames House was part of the Los Angeles Arts and Architecture Magazine Case Study Program when it was designed in 1945. The goal of these case study homes was for them to prioritize the use of modern technology and materials that were invented during World War II.

The Case Study House 8 was designed and built by the husband-and-wife duo, Charles, and Ray Eames in 1949, who moved into the house that same year. The house served as their home and creative studio for the remainder of their lives, which was a total of 40 years of occupying the house. Charles passed in 1978 and Ray passed in 1988, exactly ten years later, to the day.

The objective of the house was for it to be built entirely from prefabricated materials that would not in any way disturb the site and surrounding nature while demonstrating a modern style that is economical and easy to build.

The brief also stated that the architect had the choice of freedom when it came to the real or hypothetical client. The proposal that Charles and Ray submitted suggested that the client of the house is to be “a married couple working in design and graphic arts, whose children were no longer living at home”, which uncoincidentally was exactly the period where they were in their lives, making the client very real.

Originally, the house was baptized the “Bridge House” and designs were published by Charles Eames and fellow architect Eero Saarinen.

Eames House Diagram

War-related shortages, however, put an abrupt stop to their original plans for the house. Originally Charles and Ray wanted to build two separate buildings: A hillside studio and a separate house with a view of the ocean. By the time the war was over, the couple had a close connection to the surrounding meadows, and they chose to reconceptualize Case Study House 8.

They did this by merging the two buildings while still making use of the same amounts of materials, with the addition of a single steel segment.

Eames House Plan

In 2004, Lucia Eames, Charles’s daughter, created the Eames Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that aims to protect and preserve Ray and Charles’ house as well as offer educational events to celebrate the legacy of Charles and Ray Eames. In 2006, the house was selected as a national historic landmark. In 2020, over 200 eucalyptus trees were harvested on the property for preservation purposes.

Two of these trees were used to manufacture a special edition of the class Eames Low Table Rod (LTR) table, which included solid-wooden tops.

About Charles and Ray Eames

Charles Ormond Eames, Jr. and Bernice Alexandra “Ray” Kaiser Eames were industrial designers, graphic designers, artists, and filmmakers. Charles and Ray met in 1940 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art, where Charles was first a scholar of an industrial design fellowship, but later became an instructor. Ray enrolled in multiple courses at the academy in order to expand upon her preceding education in abstract painting. Charles separated from his first wife and then married Ray in 1941. They used their honeymoon time to move to Los Angeles.

It was in Venice, Los Angeles where they began The Eames Office in a former garage while working on furniture design for 13 hours a day and seven days a week.

They worked under the name of their own company, the Eames Office where they contributed greatly to architecture and furniture design. The most well-known furniture pieces that they have designed are the Eames Lounge Chair and the Eames Dining Chair. The Eames were believers in “learning by doing”, and they taught multiple notable designers.

They were the founding fathers of plywood molding, which they tested over and over until they perfected the skill.

Charles and Ray Eames were also the masterminds of the company Herman Miller, which is a 112-year-old global décor and furniture company. Some of the original Herman Miller furniture designs were even created in and for the Case Study House 8, such as their ottoman and lounge chair.

Charles strongly believed in the architectural design principles of Frank Lloyd Wright , which unfortunately resulted in him being expelled from Washington University’s architecture program. In terms of his architecture career, he designed three houses in St. Louis as well as two churches in Arkansas without an architecture license.

Charles and Ray Eames were big believers in ergonomic design: designing for the needs and measurements of humans. They were known for sampling and testing designs and furniture pieces over and over until they got it exactly right.

The lines were blurred between their living and working life, and as such their guests were usually the happy guinea pigs of their new inventions.

Taking a Closer Look at the Eames House

What started out as a case study turned into the lifelong home and workplace of two creatives who intended for the house to be a blueprint for living. In order to fulfill Charles and Ray’s wishes it is important that we closely analyze their intent for the house, the site as well as the interior and the exterior in order to be able to fully understand how all of it came together.

How the House Was Built

Solely making use of the off-the-shelf parts that were ordered, along with one extra steel beam, a two double-story structure with two parts was erected and designed into the landscape, instead of just enforcing the building on top of it. A concrete retaining wall that is 8 feet tall and 200 feet long acts as a support for the steel frame. The steel frame of the house consists of two rows of four-inch I-beams that were placed 20 feet apart.

The foundation for the house and the steel frame was completed in a mere 16 hours by a total of five workers, and the rest of the house was finalized within a short eleven months.

Eames House Structure

The house consists of two boxes that serve two different functions: One box was for living, and the other served as their work and creative studio. Both boxes are double volume at each end of the combined cube which continues through to the exterior courtyards. A simplistic pre-manufactured steel frame was used to build the house.

The steel frames consist of four-inch I-beams for the walls and further 12-inch-deep web trusses for the structure of the roof.

Case Study House 8 Exterior

The Exterior of the Eames House

The house is built on top of a 150-foot cliff with views of the Pacific Ocean. The site is mostly flat aside from one steep part of the land that imitates a western retaining wall. The house is a true example of the De Stijl Movement that took place outside of Europe.

Key characteristics of the De Stijl Movement were sliding walls and windows, which the Eames House has plenty of.

Between the steel frames are a variety of transparent and solid-colored panels that are made from glass, fiberglass-like “pylon”, asbestos, plywood, and plaster. These panels were arranged specifically according to the changing sunlight inside the house throughout the day. The arrangements of these panels suggest a clear Japanese influence.

Case Study House

The combination of the black lines created by the pre-manufactured steel supports and the primary-colored panels have a sense of familiarity to it because it strongly reminds of the famous Piet Mondrian paintings . While doing a paint excavation study for the conservation plan of the house, researchers found that some of the panels were previously painted a warm gray, which indicated that Ray Eames mixed the paint by hand.

Somewhere along the road, black paint was used over the existing gray paint.

The entrance door has a clearly marked gold-leaf panel above it, which makes it easily identifiable. A small courtyard splits the main house and the studio and was not part of the original plans, but luckily only required one extra beam. A central courtyard that visually combines the two buildings is paved with brick, marble, and wooden pavers that were arranged in a grid shape.

Los Angeles Case Study House

The Interior of the Eames House

In contrast to the cold steel frames that make up the skeleton of the house, the interior of the Ray and Charles’ house is very warm, colorful, and inviting, especially considering the wooden floor finish used throughout. Wooden staircases connect the upper and lower level of the house.

The use of these natural materials is an ode to nature, linking the interior with the exterior and blurring the lines of architecture and nature.

The underside of the ribbed ceiling of the Ferrobord roof decking was painted white, which makes the colorful primary painted exposed web joists stand out against it and makes it a design feature in its own right. The interior of the house is a completely free-flowing space with no evident divisions between spaces, even private and public areas are blurred. For example, the bedroom on the top floor overlooks the public living area on the bottom floor, with only a short terrace that joins the two rooms.

Eames House Living Room

There is, however, a corrugated glass screen that conceals the utility area behind the kitchen, where food was prepared in copious amounts by Ray on a regular basis. This was because they loved hosting others but also believed that the mess of daily life should be hidden in some way from your guests to make their experience as pleasurable as possible.

The lower level of the house includes a living room with an alcove with a built-in corner sofa, a spiral staircase, a hallway with closets, the kitchen, and utility space.

The Eames House bedroom can be found on the upper mezzanine level of the house. The bedroom has a sliding wood panel in the middle, that when closed, clearly divides the Eames House bedroom into a separate master bedroom and a guest bedroom when needed. The Eames House bedroom overlooks the double-volume living area and acts as a mezzanine level. Also included on the second story are multiple hallways with aluminum closets, two bathrooms, and a wire-fixed skylight.

The studio building also boasts a mezzanine level, but one that is much shorter in length than that of the main building. The studio’s ground floor consists of a bathroom, a utility sink, a dark room for the processing of photographs, and also a large double-volume space to inspire and create within. The mezzanine was originally used only for storage, but also served occasionally as the guest quarters.

The main house consists of two bathrooms, which was a surprising thing for the time, as it was the norm for traditional houses to only contain one bathroom.

The reasoning behind this was that only the husband had to get ready for work during the mornings. Of course, post-war, when women were also becoming accustomed to having jobs, the multi-bathroom home became a popular notion in America. The multi-bathroom facilities are also an ode to how Charles and Ray valued their visitors and their experience of the house visit. The studio block also contains a bathroom, as the family usually ended up sleeping there during the summer.

The décor inside the house consists of a wide collection of things that Charles and Ray accumulated throughout their lives: fold art, toys, seashells, bright textiles, expressionist abstract paintings, antiques, and furniture pieces designed by themselves. The interior of the house is a great example of the style of that period as well as the role that California modernism played in architecture within an international context. Their interior collection also includes Isamu Noguchi floor lamps, Japanese kokeshi dolls, Native American baskets, Chinese lacquered pillows, and Thonet chairs.

The interior of the house is sometimes described as maximalist, which sparked controversy as it was so contrasting to the much-loved Modernism-style. Fans of the Eames house applauded Charles and Ray for “humanizing” modernism.

The items in the Eames House living room were briefly transferred to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and displayed from 2011 to 2012 for an exhibition. This was something that had to be done to obtain the necessary funds to address the general wear and tear on the house. During this time, the deteriorated floor tiles were also removed, which exposed the original concrete floor below.

Case Study House 8

Conservation of the Eames House

Although the house was so easy to erect, and a delight to live in as well as visit, the Ray and Charles’ house is not without its problems. Being so close to the ocean, the steel columns have to be repainted constantly to deter rust and corrosion. Although right next to the ocean, being in LA, the site is very desert-like as well, which is not a positive characteristic for the site on which a building is to be conserved. This along with the use of rubber flooring that discolors over time and the wear and tear of the parquet flooring makes the house a very high-maintenance building.

Being a historic treasure, these faults pose a great threat, as they become an eye sore to the visitor, which alters the experience that Charles and Ray wanted people to experience when visiting the house: to enjoy the house in relation to the landscape.

Eames House Exterior

The Getty Conservation Institute has started implementing practical but unobstructed ways to conserve the house moving forward. The idea is to keep the house as true as possible to the time when Charles and Ray Eames were occupying it. This means that things like watermarks in corners that result from Charles spritzing his beloved plants with water daily should be left untouched where possible and only finished with invisible UV protectors to extend the materials’ life.

During the Getty-sponsored exhibition in 2011, where all the contents of the double-volume Eames House living room were temporarily relocated to the Los Angeles County Museum, professional conservators had the opportunity to properly assess the damage to the structure. With the entire Eames House living room cleared out, it was the perfect opportunity to repair asbestos-covered cracked flooring, which needed urgent attention. The floor was replaced with vinyl-composite tile flooring.

The most urgent of all the problems was the separation of glazing and steel caused by water seeping down the glass facades. The first phase of the repairs needed to be done before the contents of the house could be reinstated and ended up costing almost five thousand euros.

Ray Charles House

The problem was that to respect the wishes of Charles and Ray Eames, the house could not be sealed off like typical museums. The idea was for living things like plants and flowers to still be very evident in the house and for visitors to use the house as Charles and Ray intended it to be used. This meant that live plants had to be included and windows and doors had to be in working condition.

Along with the previously mentioned measures, the furniture and décor of the house are kept in the same locations as Charles and Ray had them when they were still alive. The curtains of the house also remain drawn most of the time to reduce the damage of light exposure to the contents within the house.

The Eames House is regarded as the most successful out of the twenty-five Case Study houses that were built. This is because it was considered a functional and comfortable living space while at the same time making an architectural statement. The Case Study House 8 was such an inspiration that it was even used as the setting for fashion shoots during the 1950s and 1960s for magazine publications like “Vogue”. Just goes to show that human-centered design was and will probably always be the most sought-after design style.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who lived in the eames house.

The house was not only designed and overseen by the husband-and-wife duo, Charles and Ray Eames, but it also served as their primary home and art studio. The couple happily lived in the house until their deaths.

How Many Case Study Houses Still Exist?

Until today, 20 out of the 36 experimental prototypes still exist, although many were never built to begin with. Most of the case study houses can be found in Southern California, and a few are also in Northern California and San Diego. Another small group of Case Study apartments was also established in Phoenix.

Are the Case Study Houses Open for Visitation?

The two most popular case study houses, being the Eames House and the Stahl House , are open for visitation to the public. The Eames house is restricted to four or five visitors at a time in order to preserve the house as much as possible while raising funds for the necessary repairs.

What Is a Case Study in Architecture?

A case study is seen as the in-depth research and documentation of a built project from the design process right through to the installation and habitation. The aim of case study houses is to continually learn from mistakes and improve on future builds.

What Is the Significance of the Eames House?

The Eames House is an almost perfect example of the De Stijl movement that originated outside of Europe. The most obvious characteristics are the versatility and openness of the interior space. After the Eameses passed, the house also remained mostly unchanged and very well preserved throughout the years.

How Much Is the Eames House Worth?

During its time, Case Study House 8 was estimated at one dollar per square foot. In 2018, this number has sprung to over ten dollars per square foot.

How Much Does It Cost to Visit the Eames House?

Currently, it costs $10 to tour the exterior of the house and only peek through the windows to the interior views.

kylie deyzel

Kylie Deyzel is an interior designer and sustainability enthusiast from Cape Town, South Africa. She has a passion for writing and educating others on various interior design topics. Her favorite interior design topics include interior design theory, interior design history, and most of all: sustainable interior design.

She received her B-tech degree in interior design from the University of Johannesburg in 2018 and has worked at various interior design firms since and had a few of her own freelance interior design clients under her company name binnekant.

Learn more about the Art in Context Team .

Cite this Article

Kylie, Deyzel, “Eames House – The Modern Stylings of Case Study House 8.” Art in Context. July 8, 2022. URL: https://artincontext.org/eames-house/

Deyzel, K. (2022, 8 July). Eames House – The Modern Stylings of Case Study House 8. Art in Context. https://artincontext.org/eames-house/

Deyzel, Kylie. “Eames House – The Modern Stylings of Case Study House 8.” Art in Context , July 8, 2022. https://artincontext.org/eames-house/ .

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This Ugly Beautiful City

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The Eames House, or Case Study House no. 8

I am sticking around the Pacific Palisades to talk about another one of my favorite places in Los Angeles–The Eames House and Foundation. But first a film.

I hope this video gave you some context about why the Eames House is such an important part of Los Angeles’ cultural landscape. I love taking my friends here who love architecture and Mid-Century design. The Eames house is a marvel in making do with what you have and testing the limits of what an object can do.

Table of Contents

The Case Study House Program

The Case Study House program, which the Eames House is part of, was ahead of its time in many ways. The idea came from a group of editors at Art and Architecture Magazine who posed a question to architects on how to produce homes cheaply and quickly. The program coincided with a projected population boom in the Western states after the end of WWII. One of the criteria was using materials that were readily available during the war. Think of the 3 Rs-Recycle/Reuse/Restore before it was cool.

The Case Study question was brought to several architects and designers that now read like a who’s who of the Mid-Century aesthetic: Richard Neutra, Eero Saarinen, Pierre Koenig, and Craig Ellwood, to name a few. In all, thirty-six houses were designed. Many of these were never built or were demolished before they could be protected. Luckily, two of these homes are on tour to the public in Los Angeles. Case Study House no. 22, or the Stahl House, and Case Study no. 8, built by Charles and Ray Eames.

The name Eames may not be familiar to you, but I assure you that you have seen their work copied again and again by places like Design Within Reach and West Elm. In addition to being architects of Case Study House No. 8, this husband and wife team designed all the furniture and textile pieces featured in the home. All the Eames designs are both aesthetic and functional.

The Eames’ home

view of Eames House kitchen from work quarters

What you notice about Case Study No. 8, which ended up being the Eames’ home, is that the house is separated into two buildings made from sections of shipping containers. A working space that served as their design studio and another larger space which I will talk about more in-depth in a second. The walkway between the two buildings is a green space meant to leave the worries of work at work.

The Eames were purveyors of the guest/host relationship. The home was designed so that it has a natural flow and puts guests first in the kitchen, then to the dining room, and ending the evening in the living room. After dinner, they can sip their after-dinner drinks with a spectacular view of the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean. This house was definitely planned with dinner parties in mind. The floor-to-ceiling windows really showcase the nature surrounding the property. The meadow outside is lined with milkweed that attracts Monarch butterflies that flit around the property. Tall eucalyptus trees with peeling bark reveal new colors and smell sweet on the air. Looming in the distance is the outline of Catalina Island.

the eames case study house #8

Hours, cost, and information

Case Study No. 8 is now run by The Eames House Foundation who offers tours of the home and grounds.

  • Website: http://eamesfoundation.org
  • Location: 203 Chautauqua Boulevard, Pacific Palisades
  • When: By appointment, closed on Wednesdays and Sundays
  • Cost: As of this update, 4/6/23, they are only offering guided exterior tours at $30 per person. Check the website for all costs and to make an appointment
  • Ages: All are welcome on the exterior tour. People under 15 years of age are not allowed on an interior tour

[Getting there: Driving: Just an FYI that although the directions to the place are good, please note that this area straddles two cities–one side of the street is Vance while the other is Corona Del Mar, a helpful hint since there is no place to turn around once you have missed the street.  By Public Transit: Los Angeles Metro bus 602.]

Missed my first favorite place; check out Monday’s post .

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Hannah Siller

September 10, 2020 at 8:47 am

I had no clue this existed and I’ve lived in Southern California my whole life. Might have to check it out.

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Leo Carrillo State Beach's Tide Pools –

September 10, 2020 at 10:52 am

[…] I hope I convinced you to incorporate Leo Carrillo State Beach’s tide pools to your trip and life in Los Angeles. If you missed out on my other favorite things to do in Los Angeles, check out the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine and the Eames House. […]

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Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine

Leo carrillo state beach's tide pools.

Case Study House 8. Charles and Ray Eames

Made a National Historic Landmark in 2006 and included on the top 10 all-time list of Los Angeles houses in 2008, it is clear that Case Study House #8, located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of LA, is highly considered to be a landmark in mid-20th century modern architecture and domestic design.

Initially incepted jointly by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen, the ‘Eames House,’ as it came to be known, was later modified during the construction process by Eames and his wife Ray in order to maximize its spatial area.

csh #8

Like so many other case study houses , #8 was built, almost ergonomically, as an attempt to create a living space that understands and accentuates the possibilities and eases of everyday domestic life.

For the Eames’s, who required a space that combined their professional lives with their domestic lives as most of their work preparations took place in the home, concentration and relaxation were continually mixed and permeated the fabric of family living. This is reflected in the home that they built together and Case Study House #8 was simply designed to seamlessly incorporate the often separate spheres of work life and domestic life within one single abode.

case study house #8 - eames house living room

In order to achieve this harmony between work and relaxation, the house consists of two adjacent, double-height pavilions; one of which houses a residence while the other houses a studio and workshop space.

By laying out the house in this manner, the Eames’s were able to create a ‘separate-but-close’ space where one could work for a time and then switch effortlessly into comfortable domestic life by simply moving to another room within the house. For the Eames’s, whose professional lives and domestic lives so often overlapped, Case Study House #8 functioned as an integral part of the living pattern of its occupants and was therefore ‘used’ in a very full and real sense; a notion often unusual in such an avant-garde domestic design.

csh #8

The house itself was built accordingly a modular system that intended to make the construction more expansive rather than restrictive. This resulted in spaces like the living room, which is basically cubic in shape, working as a core that links both the first and second floor areas that both open out onto the central room. This design creates a vast physical space that coherently links areas of the home that may otherwise exist separately.

csh #8

Charles and Ray Eames chose to use industrial, prefabricated materials, including steel, glass, asbestos and cemesto board, for the entirety of the construction and uses these materials, their varying textures and colors, to ‘animate’ the buildings rectangular design.

After World War II, however, these ‘off-the-shelf’ materials were in short supply and it wasn’t until approximately three years after the house’s design was completed that the materials were delivered and this time was spent thoroughly searching for an appropriate plot of land on which to build the house.

csh #8

The actual site of Case Study House #8, found on North Chautauqua Boulevard, was excavated in a hillside behind a row of tall eucalyptus trees; a quiet, calm location that enjoyed an unobstructed view of the ocean.

The feeling that the house had grown out of the hills and the secluded nature of the location exuded a sense that the Eames House had been created in its own little world , screened all around by high trees, foliage and rolling hills. This was the perfect location for such a harmonious home, which, despite being conceived as prototypical, was lovingly lived in and works as a highly personal reflection of the possibilities and coexistences of work and leisure; simple characteristics of Charles and Ray Eames’ unique was of life.

the eames case study house #8

The Case Study Houses Program: Richard Neutra’s Bailey House

case-stud-house-18 - craig ellwood

The Case Study Houses Program: Craig Ellwood’s Case Study House 18

See & Savour

Travel , – · October 3, 2016

Visiting the Eames House // Case Study House #8

Visiting the Eames House Case Study #8 / See and Savour

Unfortunately the visit is only for the exterior of the building, however you can see through many of the windows of the first level. The staff encourages you to look and opens all the doors for you. They do offer interior tours for $275 (2 people) and the proceeds go towards the conservation of the property. Visits to the Eames House do require reservations – you shoud make them at least 48 hours in advance. It cost $10 for adults and it is free for students. Make your reservations on eamesfoundation.org .

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University of Virginia, School of Architecture

Destination L.A.: ARCH 7020's Urban Exploration

LA Studio Trip

Boyle Heights, a predominantly Chicano neighborhood in East Los Angeles, is where 50 graduate architecture students at the University of Virginia School of Architecture have been focusing their studio work this semester. Coordinated by Inés Martín Robles and Luis Pancorbo , who co-teach with Manuel Bailo and Peter Stec , the ARCH 7020 foundation studio recently returned from a five-day field trip to what Martín Robles calls, “one of the largest and most distinctive American cities in its morphology and internal organization.” 

The studio, now in its fifth iteration of focused study on East Los Angeles, is currently centered on Boyle Heights’ flourishing arts and cultural scene. Over the course of the semester students will develop a new Chicano Art School named after the Angelino painter Carlos Almaraz. The center will provide a technical training ground in the visual and applied arts, and will ultimately help preserve the traditional crafts and artistic expression of the local Mexican American community. 

LA Studio Trip

One goal for the studio trip is to provide students with greater familiarity of Los Angeles’ rich Chicano culture and civil rights movement. While grabbing coffee near her Boyle Heights project site, graduate student Tina Dickey (M. Arch ‘25), inadvertently gained insight into the neighborhood, when meeting a local artist named Mike Saijo . Coincidentally, Saijo’s latest sculpture which highlights Boyle Heights’ diverse cultural history was being unveiled the morning of their meeting, at a new nearby community park. Dickey and other ARCH 7020 students went to the opening—a lively scene attended by local news outlets, community residents, and organizers. “It was an invaluable learning experience that I wouldn’t have had if we had not visited L.A.,” said Dickey, who found her inaugural visit to Southern California “enriching and necessary” for meeting the objectives of the studio. 

LA Architecture

Buzzing around the supercity by Metro, Uber, bus and on foot, the students and faculty packed in a wide range of architectural splendors, firm visits, museums, monuments, markets, and scenic vistas from the Hollywood hills to the Santa Monica pier. The schedule included stops at 20th-century gems like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock (1921) and Ennis (1924) Houses, the Richard Neutra-designed VDL Studio and Residences (1932), R.M. Schindler’s Leland-Fitzpatrick House (1936), Charles and Ray Eames’ Case Study House No. 8 (1949), and John Lautner’s iconic Goldstein Residence (1963). More recent projects like Selgascano’s biophilic Second Home Hollywood Office (2019) and Morphosis Office’s Emerson College (2014) gave students a taste of L.A.’s contemporary design sensibilities. For Martin Robles, “making students aware of the social and environmental complexity of the city and its rich architectural history” is one of the most rewarding parts of bringing students to Los Angeles.

ARCH 7020 students in L.A.

Now that the group has returned, students get to apply their new understanding of Boyle Heights and the City of Los Angeles to their studio projects. What began earlier in the semester as a distant view of L.A., seen only through Google Earth, GIS data, and online archives, has yielded to a deeper understanding of this urban center, thanks to the immersive travel experience organized by the faculty team. 

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IMAGES

  1. Eames Case Study House #8

    the eames case study house #8

  2. Iconic House: The Eames House, Case Study House 8

    the eames case study house #8

  3. Eames Case Study House #8

    the eames case study house #8

  4. A Virtual Look Into The Eames Case Study House #8

    the eames case study house #8

  5. Case Study House 8: Eames House Revels in Authenticity and Honesty

    the eames case study house #8

  6. Casa Eames / Case Study House nº8

    the eames case study house #8

VIDEO

  1. Case Study 9

  2. Eames House

  3. Chapter 1: The house

  4. The Bedtime Stories May Change, the Armchair Stays the Same

  5. Case Study House #20

  6. 'The Man of Steel' Beverley David Thorne , The Last Case Study and Modernist Architect

COMMENTS

  1. Case Study House #8

    The Eames House, Case Study House 8, was one of roughly two dozen homes built as part of The Case Study House Program. John Entenza, the editor and owner of Arts & Architecture magazine, spearheaded the program in the mid-1940s until its end in the mid-1960s.

  2. Eames House

    The Eames House, also known as Case Study House No. 8, is a landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. It was designed and constructed in 1949 by husband-and-wife Charles and Ray Eames to serve as their home and studio. They lived in their home until their.

  3. A Virtual Look Into The Eames Case Study House #8

    The Eames Case Study House #8, usually known simply as Eames' House, is usually presented as a kind of kaleidoscope of details. It remains one of the most exuberantly performative homes in the ...

  4. AD Classics: Eames House / Charles and Ray Eames

    Completed in 1949 in Los Angeles, United States. Originally known as Case Study House No. 8, the Eames House was such a spatially pleasant modern residence that it became the home of the architects...

  5. Eames House

    The Eames House (also known as Case Study House No. 8) is a landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture located at 203 North Chautauqua Boulevard in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. It was constructed in 1949, by husband-and-wife design pioneers Charles and Ray Eames, to serve as their home and studio.

  6. CASE STUDY HOUSE #8: THE EAMES HOUSE

    CASE STUDY HOUSE #8: THE EAMES HOUSE : Architects : EAMES, CHARLES AND RAY EAMES : Date : 1949 : Address : 203 Chautauqua Boulevard, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, USA ... The Eames's 1955 film, House: After Five Years of Living, showes a magical space that opens up to nature. It absorbs the sunlight filtering in through translucent panels and ...

  7. Eames House and Studio (Case Study House #8)

    Case Study House #8, better known as the Eames House and Studio, is one of the most famous Mid-Century Modern buildings in Los Angeles. It was designed by its owners, legendary designers Charles and Ray Eames, for Arts & Architecture magazine's Case Study House program. Completed in 1949 along with the adjacent Entenza house (designed by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen), the Eames property ...

  8. Eames House and the CSH program

    The Eames House (also known as Case Study House No. 8) is a landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. It was designed and constructed in 1949 by husband-and-wife Charles and Ray Eames to serve as their home and studio. It was one of roughly two dozen homes.

  9. The Eames House & Foundation

    The Eames House. The Eames House, or Case Study House #8, was designed by Charles and Ray Eames to serve as their primary residence and secondary work studio. The house's initial design, the "Bridge House," was introduced alongside seven other Case Study Program homes in the January 1945 issue of Arts & Architecture magazine. After ...

  10. Iconic House: The Eames House, Case Study House 8

    The Eames House, Case Study House 8, was one of roughly two-dozen homes built as part of The Case Study House Program. John Entenza, the publisher of Arts & Architecture magazine, spearheaded the program in the mid-1940s, and it continued through the early 1960s. In a challenge to the architectural community, the magazine announced that it ...

  11. The Eames House: A Deep Dive into Case Study House 8

    Nestled in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles stands the Eames House, also known as Case Study House No. 8. It is more than just a work of mid-century modern architecture; it's an enduring testament to the design sensibilities and philosophies of Charles and Ray Eames, the husband-and-wife team who not only designed it but also called it home.

  12. Eames House / CSH nº8

    Introduction House under the program for the industrialization of housing promoted by the American magazine called Arts & Architecture Case Study Houses. Originally projected by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen, the house was substantially amended during its construction process by Ray Eames and his wife, artist and designer to maximize the use of space. Charles […]

  13. House museums #55: the Eames House

    Hidden among the expansive estates of Los Angeles's Pacific Palisades neighbourhood is the mid-century modern pilgrimage site known as Case Study No 8 — or, simply, the Eames House.The home ...

  14. Step Inside Case Study House #8: The Eames House

    On Sunday, April 25, 2021. The Eames House was designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1949 for the now-iconic Case Study House Program. Also known as Case Study House 8, the home is located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. The husband-and-wife design duo created the house with two parts: a residence building and an artist's ...

  15. Case Study House #8: The Eames House Part 1

    House #8 was completed in 1949 by Charles and Ray Eames who lived and worked in the home and studio. House #9 was built for John Entenza in 1949 by Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen. Eventually, two other Case Study Houses joined the group on the five-acre meadow in Pacific Palisades, CA (#18 by Rodney Walker and #20 by Richard Neutra).

  16. How Did Materials Shape the Case Study Houses?

    The Eames House (Case Study House 8), designed by prominent industrial design couple Charles and Ray Eames, was intended to express man's life in the modern world using "straightforward ...

  17. Eames House

    The Case Study House 8 was designed and built by the husband-and-wife duo, Charles, and Ray Eames in 1949, who moved into the house that same year. The house served as their home and creative studio for the remainder of their lives, which was a total of 40 years of occupying the house. Charles passed in 1978 and Ray passed in 1988, exactly ten ...

  18. The Eames House, or Case Study House no. 8

    The Eames' home. What you notice about Case Study No. 8, which ended up being the Eames' home, is that the house is separated into two buildings made from sections of shipping containers. A working space that served as their design studio and another larger space which I will talk about more in-depth in a second.

  19. Case Study House 8. Charles and Ray Eames

    Charles and Ray Eames. April 16, 2015. Made a National Historic Landmark in 2006 and included on the top 10 all-time list of Los Angeles houses in 2008, it is clear that Case Study House #8, located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of LA, is highly considered to be a landmark in mid-20th century modern architecture and domestic design.

  20. The Eames House

    HCM#381; Case Study House #8 Architect: Charles and Ray Eames 203 Chautauqua Boulevard. The most famous Mid-Century Modern buildings in Los Angeles, designed by Charles and Ray Eames. Stunning example of the use of simple materials and design that reflect the Eames' love of industrial design, nature and the play of light.

  21. Eames Case Study House 8

    The Eames House is widely considered as one of the great buildings of the 20th century. Also known as the Case Study house 8, this beautiful piece of archite...

  22. The Work of Charles and Ray Eames: A Legacy of Invention

    Case Study House #8—the Eameses' own steel-and-glass home in Los Angeles—used construction elements from trade catalogues and was intended to serve as a model for do-it-yourself modern design. The Eames House's studied contrast—between old and new, rich and humble, foreign and familiar, mass-produced and hand-crafted—personalized modern ...

  23. Visiting the Eames House // Case Study House #8

    The Eames House also know as the Case Study House #8 is a hidden gem in Los Angeles. Designed by Charles and Ray Eames - designers of the very popular Eames Lounge Chair. Nested in the Pacific Palisades the Eames House is landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture, which you know I love! The Eames House consist of two buildings made of ...

  24. Eames House

    Eames House, Case Study House No. 8, Charles and Ray Eames (1949); Gunnar Klack, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. The pair of them would go on to design this structure around these basic principles and construction was able to get underway in February 1949. The Eames House did not take all that long to complete, and by December of that same ...

  25. Destination L.A.: ARCH 7020's Urban Exploration

    The studio, now in its fifth iteration of focused study on East Los Angeles, is currently centered on Boyle Heights' flourishing arts and cultural scene. ... (1932), R.M. Schindler's Leland-Fitzpatrick House (1936), Charles and Ray Eames' Case Study House No. 8 (1949), and John Lautner's iconic Goldstein Residence (1963). More recent ...

  26. Another Furniture Store on Instagram: "Case Study House No. 8 Also

    120 likes, 2 comments - anotherfurniturestore on August 9, 2023: "Case Study House No. 8 Also known as "The Eames House" is a landmark of mid-20th centur..." Another Furniture Store on Instagram: "Case Study House No. 8 🟦 Also known as "The Eames House" is a landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture located at 203 North ...

  27. Summary: 20th Century Architecture and a Good-Life Modernism

    According to a NEW YORK TIMES article, "Charles and Ray Eames believed that design enhances life's simple pleasures". The Eames house was designed for a 3-acre site at the top of a 150-foot-high cliff overlooking the Pacific. Eames house is known for its originality in its massing and proportions as well as its exterior elevations.

  28. Angel Muñiz on Instagram: "Eames House (Case Study House No. 8

    67 likes, 0 comments - areasvellas on December 13, 2023: "Eames House (Case Study House No. 8), Charles and Ray Eames, Pacific Palisades, California, 1950 ..." Angel Muñiz on Instagram: "Eames House (Case Study House No. 8), Charles and Ray Eames, Pacific Palisades, California, 1950 — Peter #Stackpole #architecture #arquitectura # ...