“The details are not the details. They make the product.” — Charles Eames
Charles and Ray Eames profoundly shaped the history of 20th-century design through their innovative vision, both in terms of form and materials. Their work continues to inspire young designers around the world.
1939: The Beginning of Their Research
It all began in 1939, when they took part in a competition organised by Eliot Noyes, then design curator at MoMA. Their project, combining rubber, moulded plywood and metal, won the competition. However, the war delayed the commercial development of this promising idea.
The Eames nevertheless continued their research, notably for the US military, developing moulded plywood leg splints. This period became fundamental to their approach: using technology to create high-quality objects at lower cost.
1948: A Competition That Foreshadowed Success
Once again at the initiative of Eliot Noyes, the Eames took part in the International Competition for Low-Cost Furniture Design, officially launched on 5 January 1948. The competition arose from a concern that, despite the housing crisis, too little effort was being made to develop furniture that was affordable, functional and aesthetically appealing.
Designers were therefore encouraged to experiment with new materials and production methods. The final exhibition was scheduled to take place at MoMA in 1949, with the award-winning models intended for commercial production.
On 18 January 1949, Nelson A. Rockefeller, president of MoMA, presented the awards and praised the entries as major advances in improving quality of life. Charles and Ray Eames, working with a team of UCLA engineers, submitted a series of stamped-steel chairs. They won second prize in the seating category, together with a $2,500 award.
They also submitted La Chaise, a chaise longue inspired by Gaston Lachaise’s 1927 sculpture Floating Figure. Considered too expensive and specialised, it was not selected for production, but received an honourable mention for its beauty and originality.
1949: The Birth of the World’s First Exposed Plastic Shell Chair
The high costs and complexity involved in producing the metal chairs encouraged the Eames to seek other solutions. They turned to Zenith Plastics, a company specialising in fibreglass, a technology developed through the American military industry.
At the 1949 MoMA exhibition, they presented the first prototype of a chair with a visibly exposed plastic shell, made from moulded resin. This pioneering model would not, however, enter production until 1990, when it was manufactured by Vitra.
1950: The Launch of Industrial Production
In 1950, mass production of the fibreglass armchairs began, with Herman Miller becoming the official manufacturer. The Eames worked with Zenith Plastics to adapt their earlier metal designs to fibreglass.
Charles met Sol Fingerhut and Irv Green, researchers at Owens Corning who specialised in fibreglass. Together, they solved two major technical challenges: how to attach the base to the shell and how to finish the edges. The solution came in the form of the famous shock mounts — or “buttons” — used for assembly, and a hemp rope edge to reinforce the perimeter, although the latter was eventually abandoned in order to simplify production.
After several prototypes and many sleepless nights, the moulded shell was finally achieved. Their objective had been reached: an industrial, ergonomic chair that could be mass-produced at an affordable price. The Eames Plastic Chair was born.
The Rise of an Industrial Icon
The Plastic Armchair and the DSS (Dining Stacking Chair) would later be produced by Herman Miller and then Vitra in millions of examples, with a wide variety of finishes and bases. The shell chair thus became the embodiment of modern furniture: accessible, functional and timeless.
Biography and Sources
- Walker Art Center (1950), Everyday Art Quarterly
- Smithson, Peter (1966), Architectural Design
- Holroyd, Geoffrey (1966), Chronological Table
- MoMA Press Release (1948), MoMA archive
- Neuhart, J., Neuhart, M. & Eames, R. (1989), Eames Design
- Time Magazine (1950), “Sympathetic Seat”
- McCoy, Esther (1975), Design Quarterly
- Morteo, Enrico (Ed.), Petite Encyclopédie du Design, Solar Éditions