Rebuilding What Was Lost: The Eames Design Firm in the Information Age

1. Rebuilding What Was Lost: The Eames Design Firm in the Information Age Saishivanisoundararaj, Leila Li, Gabe Persons http://nicholasspyer.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/53950.jpg

2. Ray and Charles Eames – A Brief History • Cranbrook Academy of Art3 • Ray, the painter; Charles, the architect • Extending their fields • Married in 1941

3. The Eames Lounge Chair Wood • “30-year flash” or laborious process? • Organic Design in Home Furnishings (1940) • Affordable, modern pieces3

4. The L.A. Experiments • 1942: Venice Beach • U.S. Air Force • Molded leg splints – “Kazaam!” • Designing within constraints2

5. The Eames Design Philosophy • What is design? • Arranging elements for a purpose • How does Eames design? • Learning by doing • “Never delegate understanding.”2

6. What is design for? • “The best for the most for the least.” • “Common man”2

7. Where are we now?

8. “Recently I was furnishing a multi-million dollar mansion, but the owner is not willing to pay $4700 for the Barcelona chair. But with a $650 knock off? He said, ‘Go ahead and get me 4!’” • “…the legit versions bring me much more satisfaction to use, look at and enjoy. I regret buying the knock-offs even though they were cheaper, and don't regret any of the vintage purchases.” • Would purchase multiple pieces, but a single one looks out of place.

9. Current Line of LCW • $849.00 – Base walnut model • Overpriced • Competition

11. Who are they? • Founded in 1905 • 1930: Modernist furniture • 1946: Charles and Ray • 4 models

12. How do they function? • Online store • Distribution • Shop by type and designer • Selling designers

13. The Good

14. Marketing Techniques • Production video • Images of chair use • Distinctive, conforming design • 3D models • Collaborative experience

15. The Bad

16. Lack of Focus • Eames design and philosophy? • 1. Work as play • 2. Fulfilling need • 3. Coincidence of design

17. PRICE POINT • LCW too expensive • Inflation • Cost of plywood

18. Competitors

19. Other upscale furniture? -- too expensive •  Molded plywood, solid beech armsDesigned by Norman Cherner, 1958 Made in the USA by The Cherner Chair Company$1029 • Grete jalkgj chairDesign Grete Jalk, 1963Laminated plywoodMade in Denmark by Lange Production $2700

20. Competitors – Reproductions

21. Who are they? • Online furniture stores • Kardiel • Mid-century reproductions • Rove Concepts • Affordable luxury pieces

22. The Good

23. Low cost • Detailed specs • Structure • Materials • Comparisons • Market niche • Clear Information

24. The Bad

25. Finish options • Kardiel • Designer information • Rove Concepts • Vague comparisons • Clean sites, but boring

26. User Scenarios

27. Upper Middle Class: Returning Buyers

29. New Buyers – Familiar with Eames

31. New Buyers – Unfamiliar with Eames (but want designer pieces)

33. References • Bureau of Labor Statistics • “Charles & Ray Eames: The Architect and the Painter” – Jason Cohn & Bill Jersey • Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History – Metropolitan Museum of Art • “Organic Armchair” – Vitra Design Museum • “What is Design? An Interview with Charles Eames” – Madame Amie, 1972 • “The Work of Charles and Ray Eames: Exhibition and Book Review” – Nicolas Maffei, Spring 1999

34. Undercutting Designers • Value of designer • How HM improved designs

35. Collaborative Effort • Where does credit go? • Flow of furniture • Distributed photographs6

36. Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen • Plywood, upholstered shell • Production issues • Departure of Eero2

37. Design from learning • Splint holes  Splitting chair • Know your users • Eames as hosts2