EAMES HOUSE

GENERAL INFORMATION Also referred to as Case Study House No.8, the house is a landmark of modern architecture during the mid 20th century located in Las Angelas, California . It remains one of the most exuberantly perforative homes in the history of architecture as it serves as a home and studio workplace.

The house was built using prefabricated materials and techniques derived from the experiences of world war ll while embracing the spirt of modernism.

The site is located on a three are parcel land in the pacific palisades, situated on a meadow on top of a 150 for high cliff facing the ocean. Its large windows and Mondiran inspired facade allows a view of all this surrounding landscape.

Charles Eames and Earo Saarinen were the chosen architects for this project.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The case study program was developed after WW2 to design and build efficient and affordable homes using inexpensive materials of the time period and the modern world.

The Eames were followers of this program, and in 1949 they built the Eames house to reflect their life and work.

The Case study house was the most innovative in the program.

THE EAMES

Charles and Ray Eames, the designers of the house, were a couple that were held together by design and architecture despite their differences.

PROGRAM This house is composed of two buildings; the studio and the living space. Even though there are two units, the home has a good continuation of space connecting them with the outdoor landscape. This circulation only continue in the front of the building, as in the back of the house is a wall that connects all the spaces.

Both floors contain living and studio spaces following the belief of the Eames that living and studio spaces should be combined.

LAND USE Case study house #8 is located at 203 Chautauqua Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, on a 1.4 acre lot. The house is built on a three acre site on top of a 150 foot cliff which overlooks the Pacific ocean.

STRUCTURE AND COMPOSISITION The Eames House consists of two glass and steel rectangular boxes: one is a residence; one, a working studio.

They are nestled into a hillside, backed by an eight foot tall by 200 foot long concrete retaining wall.

The structures are aligned along a central axis with a court on the ocean side of the House, a court between the two structures, and a parking / utility spot on the Studio far side.

At 17 feet tall, each has a mezzanine balcony overlooking a large central room.

FORMAL APEARANCEThe parti is made up of two rectangular buildings held together by a supporting back wall. The site itself reside on a steep slope which is supported by this wall.

The home has a clear grid line and geometric pattern that can been see by the eye through the glass and steel rectangles on the exterior. On the exterior there are inserts of blue, yellow, and red stained glass to highlight points of residence.

The buildings are 17’ tall and are each divided by the court yard space. above each building is a balcony from which the alignment of the building can be seen on their central axis.

SPATIAL QUALITIESThe spaces of the house all revolve around the idea of circulation and continuation. The outside to side spaces blend together as they are only separated by transparent glass with a view to the outdoors.

Once inside, the spaces continue to blend as the living room is a large unbroken area leading into the rest of the house.The outside spaces are comfortable and obtain plenty of shade by the surrounding trees. Not only do the trees provide shade, but they also aid in the circulation around the house.

COLORS AND MATERIALS

MaterialsThe facades are essentially black-painted grids -different-sized inserts of glass (clear, translucent, or wired), -grey cemestos panels -stucco (off-white, black, blue, and orange/red), -aluminum (silver or painted) -specially-treated panels (gold-leafed or with a photographic panel).

The transparency of the glass combines with the painted colors and wood finishes.

“In all of their projects, color was a strategic tool; never did they apply hues indiscriminately. Rather, their brilliant palette spotlighted salient points of information that they wanted to convey, capturing both the eyes and minds of viewers.”

SUSTAINABILITY The appreciation of nature is an essential part of life in the house. You can see, as Charles and Ray put it, how the house in its constant proximity to the whole vast order of nature acts as a “re-orientor and shock absorber” providing the needed relaxation from the daily complications arising within problems.

The final house design was driven by the Eameses’ decision to preserve the meadow and a row of eucalyptus trees. The meadow moves between green and sere as rain falls or stops. As one visitor said: “The Eames House is the only place in LA where you can experience the seasons.”

The use of pre fabricated materials also make this house very sustainable for the environment. TThe glass provides natural light keeping energy cost low.

SOURCES