EAMES HOUSE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK NOMINATION

NFS

Form

10-900

EAMES

HOUSE

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

Page

1

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

1.

NAME

OF

PROPERTY

Historic

Name:

Eames

House

Other

Name/Site

Number:

Case

Study

House

#8

2.

LOCATION

Street

&

Number:

203

N

Chautauqua

Boulevard

City/Town:

Pacific

Palisades

State:

California

County:

Los

Angeles

Code:

037

Not

for

publication:

N/A

Vicinity:

N/A

Zip

Code:

90272

3.

CLASSIFICATION

Ownership

of

Property

Private:

x

Public-Local:

_

Public-State:

_

Public-Federal:

Number

of

Resources

within

Property

Contributing:

2

Category

of

Property

Building(s):

District:

Site:

Structure:

Object:

Noncontributing:

buildings

sites

structures

objects

Total

x

Number

of

Contributing

Resources

Previously

Listed

in

the

National

Register:

None

Name

of

Related Multiple Property

Listing:

N/A

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

NFS

Form

10-900

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

EAMES

HOUSE Page

2

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

4.

STATE/FEDERAL

AGENCY

CERTIFICATION

As

the

designated

authority

under

the

National

Historic

Preservation

Act

of

1966,

as

amended,

I

hereby

certify

that

this

__

nomination

__

request

for

determination

of

eligibility

meets

the

documentation

standards

for

registering

properties

in

the

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

and

meets

the

procedural

and

professional

requirements

set

forth

in

36

CFR

Part

60.

In

my

opinion,

the

property

__

meets

__

does

not

meet

the

National

Register

Criteria.

Signature

of

Certifying

Official

Date

State

or

Federal

Agency

and

Bureau

In

my

opinion,

the

property

__

meets

__

does

not

meet

the

National

Register

criteria.

Signature

of

Commenting

or

Other

Official

Date

State

or

Federal

Agency

and

Bureau

5.

NATIONAL

PARK

SERVICE

CERTIFICATION

I

hereby

certify

that

this

property

is:

Entered

in

the

National

Register

Determined

eligible

for

the

National

Register

Determined

not

eligible

for

the

National

Register

Removed

from

the

National

Register

Other

(explain):

Signature

of

Keeper

Date

of

Action

NFS

Form

10-900

EAMES

HOUSE

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

Page

3

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

6.

FUNCTION

OR

USE

Historic:

Domestic

Current:

Domestic

Sub:

Single

dwelling

Sub:

Single

dwelling

7.

DESCRIPTION

Architectural

Classification:

Modern

Movement

Materials:

Foundation:

Concrete

Walls:

Glass,

stucco,

wood,

asbestos,

metal,

synthetics

Roof:

Asphalt

Other:

Metal

(steel

frame)

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

NFS

Form

10-900

USDI/NPS

MRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

EAMES

HOUSE Page

4

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

Describe Present

and

Historic

Physical

Appearance

Location

The

Eames

House

is

located

in

the

Pacific

Palisades

area

of

Los

Angeles,

California.

The

property

is

composed

of

a

residence

and

studio

situated

on

a

bluff

overlooking

the

Pacific

Ocean.

The

residence and

studio

occupy

level

ground

at

the

base

of

a

steep

slope

along

the

western

edge

of

the

property.

The

community

of

Pacific

Palisades

sits

on

the

high

bluffs

along

the

Pacific Coast

between

the

cities

of

Santa

Monica and

Malibu.

Atop

the

bluffs,

flat

plateaus,

or

mesas,

are

defined

by

canyons

that

run inland

from

the

shoreline

cliffs.

The

broad

Santa

Monica

Canyon

divides

Pacific

Palisades from

the

City

of

Santa

Monica.

The

subject

property

occupies

a

lower

yet

distinct

plateau

on

the

northern

edge

of

Santa

Monica

Canyon,

overlooking

the

ocean

immediately

to

the

south.

The

mouth

of

the

canyon

is

located

on

marine

shales,

as

described

by

UCLA

geologist

Dr.

Richard

F.

Logan:

The

ever

threatening

cliff

that

overhangs

the Coast

Highway

at

Chautauqua

...

is

composed

entirely

of

slightly

consolidated

alluvium;

the

other

three

sides

all

involve

marine

shales,

which

become extremely

heavy

in

wet

years

through

absorption

of

rain

water,

and

simultaneously

become

greasy,

thus

lubricating

a

potential

massive

earth

movement.

The

major

part

of

Pacific

Palisades

is

free

of

all

danger

from

slides,

but

the

canyon

borders

and

sea-cliff

edge

present

some

serious

stabilization

problems.

l

The

Eames

House

is

located

within

a

cluster

of

four

single

family residences,

all

designed

as

part

of

the

Case

f\

Study

House

program.

The

property

is

not

visible

from

the

street,

and

is

accessed

via

a

private

drive

that

leads

from

Chautauqua

Boulevard.

A

sign

indicating

the

addresses

201

and

203

Chautauqua

is

posted

at

the

drive's

entrance.

The

asphalt

paved

drive

leads

first

to

the

property

at

201

Chautauqua

(The

Entenza

House,

Case

Study

House

#9),

and

terminates

at

the

Eames

property.

To

the

north,

the

drive

is

edged

by

a

serpentine

brick

wall

with

weeping

mortar.

The

wall

is

part

of

Richard

Neutra's

landscape

design

for

the

property

at

219

Chautauqua

(The

Bailey

House,

Case

Study

House

#20).

The

drive's

southern

edge

is

lined

with

a

wood

fence,

and

is

shaded

by

mature

trees

that

overhang

it.

The

Eames

House occupies an

irregularly-shaped

1.4-acre

site.

The

site

is

predominately

flat

with

a

steep

upward

slope

at

its

western

edge.

The

house

is

situated

parallel

to

the

slope

and

is

oriented

toward

a

grassy

area

to

the

east

known

as

"the

meadow."

The

property

is

densely

landscaped,

creating

a

sense

of

private

enclosure

and

separating

it

from

its

neighbors.

An earthen

mound,

or

berm,

is

situated

at

the

far

edge

of

the

property.

It

features

a

metal

fence

obscured

by

mature

shrubs,

providing

a

visual

screen

from

the

adjacent

Entenza

House.

Eucalyptus

trees

planted

along

the

eastern

elevations

of

the

house

provide added

privacy

and

shade.

A

wood

plank

pathway

leads

from

the

drive

and

runs

along

the

full

extent

of

the

house's

eastern

facade.

*Dr.

Richard

F.

Logan,

"Pacific

Palisades,

the

Natural

Setting,"

Pacific

Palisades,

Where

the

Mountains

Meet

the

Sea, ed.

Betty

Lou

Young.

(Pacific

Palisades,

CA:

Pacific

Palisades

Historical

Society

Press,

1983),

2.

2

Other

houses

within

this

cluster

include

Case

Study

House

#18

(199

Chautauqua

Boulevard);

Case

Study

#9

(201

Chautauqua

Boulevard);

and

Case

Study

House

#20 (219

Chautauqua

Boulevard).

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

NFS

Form

10-900

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

EAMES

HOUSE Page

5

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

Design

and

Construction

The

Eames

House

is

composed

of

two

distinct

volumes,

a

living

component

(or

residence)

and

a

working

component

(or

studio).

The

two

volumes

are

arranged

in

a

linear

configuration

and

separated

by

an

open

court.

Both

volumes

are

rectangular

in

plan

with

horizontal

massing,

and

are

situated along

the

western

edge

of

the

property.

The

residence

is

1,500

square

feet,

with

the

studio

containing

an

additional

1,000

square

feet.

The

Eames

House

is

modular

in

its

design,

composed

of

20'

x

7'

4"

bays

that

rise

to

a

height

of

17

feet.

Each

bay

is

defined

by

a

steel

frame

consisting

of

two

rows

of

4-inch H-columns

set

20

feet

apart,

with

a

12-inch

open-web

joist

forming

the

top

member.

On

the

rear

(west)

elevation,

the

vertical

member

of

each

frame

is

partially

embedded

in

an

8-foot

high

poured

concrete

retaining

wall

at

the

base

of

the

slope

that

forms

the

lower

part

of

the

west

elevation

in

both

components.

Steel

decking

running

perpendicular

to

the

frames

forms

the

o

underside

of

the

flat

roof.

The

roof

is

a

gravel

surfaced,

built-up

assembly.

The

20-foot

wide

dimension

of

the

frames

define

the

width

of

both

the

residence

and

studio.

The

residence

consists

of

eight

bays, and

the

studio

is

five

bays

wide.

The

open

court

that

separates

the

two structures

is

the

equivalent

of

four

bays

in

width.

The

exposed

steel

frames

are

painted

black,

which

visually

delineates

each

bay

and

the

shared

structural

rhythm

of

the

two

components.

Diagonal cross-bracing,

composed

of

metal

cables

visible

on

the

exterior,

provides

structural

stability

for

the

frames.

Each

bay

is

in-filled with

one

of

several

materials,

including

panels

of

plaster, plywood,

asbestos,

glass,

and

"pylon"

(a

translucent

laminate

similar

to

fiberglass).

4

Some

bays

contain

one

type

of

infill

material,

such

as

a

single

plaster

panel.

Other

bays

are

divided

into

multiple

smaller

panels

of

uniform

dimension,

with

up

to

twelve

in

the

lower

story

(two

rows

of

six),

and

as

many

as

fourteen

in

the

upper

story

(two

rows

of

seven).

Like the

frames,

the

steel

sashes

and

sub-dividers

are

also

painted

black,

creating

a

horizontal

grid

pattern.

Plaster

panels

are

painted

black,

white,

beige,

red,

or

blue.

The

main

entrance

to

the

residence

is

located

on

the

primary

(east)

fagade.

The

hinged

door

is

off-set

right

of

center

in

elevation

and

consists

of

five

translucent

glazed

panels

that

echo

the

size

and appearance

of

the

panels

that

flank

the

door

to

the

right

and

directly

above.

Two

small

panels

located

above

and

spanning

the entire

width

of

the

entry

bay

frame

are

highlighted

in

gold.

A

rotating

black-glazed

ceramic

bell,

attributed

to

Mexican

potter,

Maria

Martinez,

flanks

the

main

entrance

to

the

right.

The

inner

portion

of

the

two

rectangular

volumes

(i.e.

the

northern

portion

of

the

residence,

and

southern

portion

of

the

studio),

are

each

divided

into

an

upper

and

lower

story,

with

additional

open-web

joists

at

a

height

of

8

feet.

The

outer portions

(i.e.

the

southern

portion

of

the

residence,

and

northern

portion

of

the

studio),

are

open

to

form

double-height interior

spaces.

A

deep

overhang

and

the

rear

wall

extend

beyond

the

south

faQade

of

the

residence, creating

another

outdoor

space.

5

Windows

include

both

fixed

and

operable

awning

casements

divided

into

two

horizontal

lights.

Windows

and

doors

are

glazed

with

a

combination

of

transparent

and translucent

glass.

Wire-reinforced

glass

is

used

in

some

bays

of

the

studio.

The

north,

east,

and

south

elevations

of

both

the

residence

and

studio

contain

large

areas

of

3

According

to

staff

at

the

Eames

Foundation,

gravel

surface

tar

paper

covers

one-half

inch insulation

on

the

roof

of

both

components.

4

James

Steele,

Eames

House,

Charles

and

Ray

Eames

(London:

Phaidon

Press

Limited,

1994),

10.

5

"Case

Study

House

for

1949:

The

Steel

Frame,"

Arts

&

Architecture

(March

1949),

30-31.

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

NFS

Form

10-900

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

EAMES

HOUSE Page

6

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

glazed

panels,

forming

glass

walls.

The

northern

and

southern

elevations

of

both

the

residence

and

studio

feature

sliding

glass

doors.

Awning

casements

occur

on

the

rear

(west)

elevations

where

there

are

upper

story

interior

spaces

(bedrooms

and

bathrooms

in

the

residence,

and

an

office

in

the

studio).

Double-height

spaces

(the

living

room

in

the

residence,

and

the

main

work

space

in

the

studio)

have

solid

rear

(west)

walls.

There

are

two

outdoor

patios.

One

functions

as

an

open

court

or

outdoor

room

between

the

residence

and

studio.

The

other

is

situated

beneath

the

overhang

at

the

southern

end

of

the

residence.

Continuation

of

the

metal

roof

deck

and

the

rear

wood

paneled

wall

from

interior

to

exterior

creates

both

spatial

and

material

continuity

between

exterior

and

interior.

Both

outdoor

spaces feature

brick, wood,

and

marble

paving

configured

in

a

grid

pattern,

and

are

landscaped

with

planted

and

potted

vegetation.

Interior

Plan

The

interior

of

the

residence

features

an

open

plan,

with

one

space

flowing

easily

into

the

next.

As

noted

above,

the

northern

portion

of

the

residence

is

divided

into

two

stories. The

lower

story

contains

the

utilitarian

spaces

(kitchen

and

dining

areas),

with

private

spaces

(bedrooms

and

baths)

above

in

the

upper

story

or

loft.

The

loft

overlooks

the

double-height

living

space

in

the

southern

portion

of

the

residence.

Upon

entering

the

residence

through

the

main door

on

the

eastern

facade,

a

spiral

staircase

leading

to

the loft

is

directly

ahead.

The

staircase

is

constructed

of

steel

tread

brackets;

each

welded

to

a

short

section

of

metal

pipe

or

sleeve

that

are

threaded together

by

a

central

metal

post.

Plywood

treads

are

bolted

to

the

brackets

and

the

risers

are open.

The

skylight

located

directly

above

the

stairway

filters

natural

light

down

the

rectangular

opening

to

the

lower

level.

To

the

right

of

the

entrance,

a

dining area

along

the

front

of

the

residence

leads

to

the

kitchen,

which

can

be

closed

off

by

a

folding

partition.

The

kitchen

features

original

enameled

metal

cabinets

with

stainless

steel

and

marble

countertops.

The

dining and

kitchen

areas

open

onto

the

court

to

the

north.

Behind

the

kitchen,

a

narrow

utility

room

separated

by

a

corrugated

fiberglass

panel

runs

along

the

rear

elevation.

To

the

left

of

the

main

entrance,

a

short

single-story

hallway

with built-in

storage

cabinets,

opens

onto

the

double-height

volume

of

the

living

room,

which

occupies

the

entire

southern

portion

of

the

residence.

This

is

the

most

photographed

and

celebrated

space

in

the

Eames

House. The

floor

is

finished

with

white linoleum

tile,

and

the

ceiling

is

exposed

metal

roof

decking.

The

solid

rear

wall

is

finished

with

vertical

wood

paneling.

An

upper

and

lower

row

of

beige

pleated

curtains

cover

the

expansive

double-height

windows.

The

general

openness

of

the

living

room

is

countered

by

a

more

intimate

seating area

set

into

a

single-height

alcove

located

under

the

outer

edge

of

the

loft.

The

seating

area

features

a

built-in

L-shaped

sofa

and

a

wood

shelf

and

upper

storage

cabinets.

The

floor

in

this

area

is

carpeted.

The

upper

floor

contains

two

bedrooms,

two

bathrooms,

and

a

dressing

alcove.

The

two

bedrooms

occupy

the

loft

overlooking

the

living

room

and

can

be

closed

off

with

three

sliding

canvas-covered

wood

partitions.

A

similar

sliding

partition

separates the

two

bedrooms.

Original

goose-neck

light

fixtures

are

mounted

on

the

walls

in

the

bedroom

areas,

two

in

the

larger

bedroom,

and

one

in

the

smaller

bedroom.

A

bathroom

opens

off

of

the

rear

bedroom

and

features

an

original

sink,

toilet,

and

shower

stall.

The

dressing

alcove,

located

at

the

rear

of

the

loft,

leads

to

a

second,

larger

bathroom.

This

bathroom

contains

a

bathtub

and

features

black

and

white linoleum

floor

tiles

laid

out

in

a

checkerboard

pattern.

A

narrow

hallway

with built-in

cabinetry

occupies

the

center

of

the loft

at

the

top

of

the

staircase.

Additional

light

comes

into

the

upper

story

via

the

skylight

above

the

staircase.

The

upper

story

flooring

is

linoleum

tile

throughout,

with

square

wood

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Registration

Form

panels

finishing

the

interior

walls.

Upstairs

windows

feature

horizontal

sliding

shades

composed

of

fiberglass

panels

in

wood

frames.

The

studio

building

also

features

an

open

plan.

As

in

the

residence,

a

portion

of

the

studio

is

divided

into

two

stories,

with

an

upper

loft overlooking

a

double-height

space.

Here,

the

southern

portion

of

the

studio

has two

levels.

The

ground

level

contains

a

kitchen

along

the

east

elevation,

with

a

powder

room

and

hallway

beyond.

An

enclosed

room

situated

to

the

rear

is

used

for

storage.

The

kitchen

looks

onto

the

open

court

to

the

south.

The

loft

contains

a

single

work

space

and

overlooks

a

double-height

studio

area

to

the

north.

The

upper

story

is

accessed via

an

open

steel

staircase

with

wood

treads,

open risers,

and

simple

pipe

handrails.

The

floors

are

wood

parquet

on

the

first

story

with

linoleum

tile upstairs.

The

ceiling

is

exposed

metal

roof

decking.

Additional

fiberglass

horizontal

sliding

shades

cover

the

multiple

windows

throughout.

Material

Integrity

The

Eames

House

retains

an

extraordinarily

high

degree

of

material

integrity,

and

ably

conveys

its

association

with

the

Case

Study

House

program

and

with

Charles

and

Ray

Eames.

In

all

seven

aspects

of

integrity,

the

property

is

remarkably

intact

and

true to

its

historic

design.

The

house

itself

is

situated

in

its

original

location

on

the

property.

Its

setting

is

generally

unchanged

from

its

original

appearance

with

the

exception

of

the

maturation

of

foliage.

All

major

elements

of

the

original landscape

design

are

extant,

including

the

grassy

ground

cover,

stands

of

eucalyptus

trees,

constructed

berm,

and

pedestrian

and

vehicular

pathways.

All

of

these

features

contribute

to

the

setting

of

the

Eames

House.

The

integrity

of

the

residence

and

studio

buildings

themselves

is

exceptionally

high.

The

workmanship

and

materials

are

intact.

The

house

has

been

well-maintained

with

little

need

for

substantial

repairs

or

replacements.

The

interior

spaces

appear

much

as

they

did

when

the

Eameses

lived

and

worked

in

them.

The

furnishings,

objects,

and

decoration

in

the

house

are

seen

today

just

as

they

were

in

the

many

photographs

through

which

the owners

exhaustively

interpreted

and

documented

the

property

during

their

years

of

residence.

Few

historic

properties

have

maintained

the

integrity

of

feeling

and

association evident

at

the

Eames

House.

This

is

largely

due

to

the

dedicated

and

ongoing

stewardship

of

the

family

that originally

designed

and

built

it.

The

association

of

the

property

with

Charles

and

Ray

Eames,

with

the

Case

Study

House

program,

and

with

its

own role in

Modern

domestic

architecture

in

the

United

States

is

very

strong.

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Department

of

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National

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Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

8.

STATEMENT

OF

SIGNIFICANCE

Certifying

official

has

considered

the

significance

of

this

property

in

relation

to

other

properties:

Nationally:

x

Statewide:

_

Locally:

Applicable

National

Register

Criteria:

A

_

B

_

C

_

D_

Criteria

Considerations

(Exceptions):

A

_

B

_

C

_

D

_

E

_

F_

G

NHL

Criteria:

1,2,4

NHL

Theme(s):

III.

Expressing

cultural values

5.

Architecture,

landscape

architecture, and

urban design

NHL

Exceptions:

8

Areas

of

Significance:

Architecture

Art

Invention

Period(s)

of

Significance:

1949

-1988

Significant

Dates:

1949, 1978,

1988

Significant

Person(s):

Eames, Charles

Eames,

Ray

Cultural

Affiliation:

N/A

Architect/Builder:

Eames,

Charles

and

Ray

(revised

as-built)

Eames,

Charles

and

Saarinen,

Eero

(original

design)

Historic

Contexts:

XVI.

Architecture

Z.

Modern

Architecture

Theme Study

(draft)

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States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

State

Significance

of

Property,

and

Justify

Criteria,

Criteria

Considerations,

and

Areas

and

Periods

of

Significance

Noted

Above.

Summary

The

Eames

House

is

eligible

for

designation

as

a

National

Historic

Landmark

under

Criterion

#1

for

its

association

with

the

Case

Study

House

program

and

the

Modern

architecture

movement

in

the

United

States;

under

Criterion

#2

for

its

association

with

influential

designers

Charles

and Ray

Eames;

and

under

Criterion

#4

as

an

exceptionally

important

work

of

postwar

Modern

residential

design

and

construction.

The

Eames House,

Case

Study

House

#8,

is

the

most recognizable

and

most widely

published

of

all

the

residences

completed within

the

Case

Study

House program.

The

program

was

unique

in

the

nation

for

its

concerted

efforts

to

introduce

Modern

domestic

architecture

to

the

broader

public

in

the

period

after

World

War

II.

The

Eames

House

best

represents

the

goals

and

ideals

of

the

Case

Study

House program.

The

Eames

House

is

the

property

most

closely

associated

with

nationally-significant

designers

Charles

and

Ray

Eames.

The

property

served

as

their

private residence

and

working

studio

throughout

their

prolific

careers

as

furniture

designers,

filmmakers,

photographers,

exhibition

designers,

and

graphic

artists.

Charles

and Ray

occupied

the

house

from

the

completion

of

its

construction

in

1949

until

their

deaths

in

1978

and

1988,

respectively.

The

Eames

House

is

one

of

the

few

architectural

works

attributed

to

Charles

Eames,

and

embodies

many

of

the

distinguishing

characteristics

and

ideals

of

postwar

Modernism

in

the

United

States.

Since

the time

of

its

construction,

the

Eames

House

has

been

regarded

as

one

of

the

most

significant

experiments

in

American

domestic architecture.

The

period

of

significance

for

the

Eames

House

coincides

with

the

residency

of

its

designers,

extending

from

1949

until

1988.

John

Entenza

and

Arts

&

Architecture

Magazine

The

lineage

of

Arts

&

Architecture

magazine

dates

back

to

1911

and

a

publication entitled

Pacific

Builder.

Later renamed

California

Arts

&

Architecture,

the

magazine

was

regional

in

its

focus.

Not

considered

culturally

or

artistically

progressive,

the

magazine

emphasized

traditional

arts,

interior

design,

domestic

architecture,

and

gardening.

In

1938,

John

Entenza

purchased

California

Arts

&

Architecture.

Though

he

did

not

have

a

background

in

publishing,

Entenza

had

long

cultivated

an

interest

in

architecture.

6

Two

years

later,

he

would

become

the

magazine's

editor and

shift

its

focus

from

regional

art

to

internationally-recognized

movements

in

modernist

art

and

architecture.

To

communicate

this

new

direction,

Entenza

commissioned

graphic

artists

Herbert Matter

and

Alvin

Lustig

to

redesign

the

magazine's

graphics,

and

format.

The

newly

revamped

California

Arts

&

Architecture

debuted

in

February

of

1942,

with

the

word "California"

graphically

de-emphasized

on

the

cover

and

later

dropped

entirely

in

1944.

6

The

Entenza

had

commissioned

Los

Angeles

architect

Harwell

Hamilton

Harris

to

design

his

private

residence.

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States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

Entenza

used

a

significant

family

inheritance

to

purchase

and

sustain the magazine.

He

was

born

in

1903

in

Michigan

to

a

"Scottish

oil

heiress

and

a

Spanish

attorney involved

in

migrant

workers'

issues."

7

Because

the

magazine

was

not

financially

dependent

upon

advertising

revenues,

Entenza

was

able

to

be

highly

selective

in

his choice

of

advertisers.

According

to

architectural

historian

Esther

McCoy,

Entenza

would

accept

only those

he

considered

to

be

complementary

to

the

magazine's

progressive

editorial

content.

His

carefully

chosen

editorial

board

contained

some

of

the

most

active

and

knowledgeable

people

in

Southern

California's

art

and

architecture

communities.

Entenza's

tenure

at

Arts

&

Architecture

lasted

until

1962,

when

he

moved

from

Los

Angeles

to

Chicago

to

direct

the

Graham

Foundation, furthering

his

interest

and

influence

in

American

architectural

circles.

Esther

McCoy

states

that

"[n]o

single

event

raised

the

level

of

taste

in

Los

Angeles

as

did

the

magazine;

certainly

nothing

could have

put

the

city

on

the

international

scene

as

quickly."

8

At

the

time

Entenza

bought

the

magazine,

many

talented

architects

were

producing

experimental

designs

in

Los

Angeles.

Architects

Frank

Lloyd

Wright,

Lloyd

Wright,

R.

M.

Schindler,

Richard

Neutra,

and

J.

R.

Davidson

had

been

practicing

in

Los

Angeles

since

the

1920s.

Harwell Hamilton

Harris,

Gregory

Ain,

and

Raphael

Soriano

arrived

in

the

city

during the

1930s.

The

presence

of

these

architects

and

their

combined

body

of

work

comprised

a

recognizable

modernist

architectural

movement

in

Southern

California.

However,

opportunities

to

introduce

their

work

to

a

larger

audience

through

publication

was

limited.

McCoy

describes

how

a

1939

publication

of

local

residential

architecture

released

by

the

Southern

California

Chapter

of

the

American

Institute

of

Architects

did

include

modernist

architects

(Schindler,

Neutra,

and

Harris),

but

placed

their

work

at

the

back

of

the

book

behind

residences

designed

in

the

favored

revival

and

eclectic

styles.

With

the

editorial

changes

at

Arts

&

Architecture

in

the

1940s,

Entenza

provided

a

regional

forum

with

national

distribution

that

modernist

architects

in

Los

Angeles

had

previously

lacked.

The

content

of

the

magazine

under

the

editorial

leadership

of

John

Entenza included

reviews

and

features

on

a

wide

range

of

artistic

fields,

including

painting,

sculpture,

graphic

art,

art

theory,

photography,

film,

ceramics,

architecture, landscape

architecture, furniture

design,

structural engineering,

prefabrication,

and

industrial

design.

While the

architectural

projects

highlighted

were

mostly

by

Southern

California

architects,

the

publication

also

featured

works

in

Chicago, Florida,

Australia,

and

Mexico.

The

magazine

also

reported

on

art

and

architecture

exhibitions

at

museums

nationwide.

Nationally

known

contributors

to

the

magazine

included

Alvin

Lustig, Sidney Janus,

George

Nelson,

Peter

Yates,

Alfred

Auerbach,

Sibyl

Moholy-Nagy,

Edward

Steichen,

Bernard

Rudofsky,

Dore

Ashton,

and

Charles

Eames.

More

than

a

magazine

of

architecture

and

the

visual

arts,

the

magazine

also

included

highly-regarded

criticism

of

contemporary

music,

housing,

urban

issues, social

and

political

issues,

and technology.

Author

Elizabeth

A.

T.

Smith

noted

that

the

magazine

resisted

"differentiat[ing]

between

high

and

low

art

forms"

but

instead

demonstrated

its

belief

that "[c]ritical

emphasis

on

principals

of

form,

structure,

and

color

as

content

of

universal

significance

pervaded

treatment

of

all

the

arts,

obviating

hierarchical

distinctions

between

functional

and

nonfunctional

object-making."

9

Smith

further

concluded

from

an

analysis

of

the

magazine's

stated

goals

and

consistent

content

that

"the

urge

to

push

forward

in

the

creative,

social,

and

political

arenas..

.was

Arts

&

7

Goldstein,

Barbara,

Arts

&

Architecture,

the

Entenza

Years

(Cambridge,

Mass,

and

London:

the

MIT

Press,

1990),

8.

8

Esther

McCoy,

"Arts

&

Architecture

Case

Study

Houses,"

Blueprints

for

Modern

Living:

History

and

Legacy

of

the Case

Study

Houses,

ed.

Elizabeth

A.

T.

Smith (Los

Angeles:

Museum

of

Contemporary

Art;

and Cambridge,

MA

and

London:

The

MIT

Press,

1989),

16.

9

Elizabeth

A.

T.

Smith,

"Arts

&

Architecture and

the

Los

Angeles

Vanguard,"

Blueprints

for

Modern

Living,

History

and

Legacy

of

the

Case

Study

Houses,

ed.

Elizabeth

A.

T.

Smith (Los

Angeles:

Museum

of

Contemporary

Art;

and Cambridge,

MA

and

London:

The

MIT

Press,

1989),

53.

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United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

Architecture's

overriding

objective.

In

fulfilling

this

objective,

it

became

the

leading

periodical

of

its

kind

in

America, and

arguably

in

the

world, during

its

heyday."

10

The

Case

Study

House

Program

The

Case

Study

House

program

was

a

product

of

the

many

concerns

about

housing

and

architecture

voiced

in

the

magazine,

a

discussion

that

began

well

before

the

1945

announcement

of

the

program.

In

particular,

Arts

&

Architecture

categories

of

this

competition

with

their

upholstered,

molded

plywood

chairs,

molded

plywood

tables,

and

horizontal

storage

units

elevated

on

benches.

The

techniques

used

in

manufacturing

these

designs

would

inform

Charles'

furniture designs

for

the

33

The

collaboration

between

Charles

and

Eero

culminated

in

the design

of

two

Case

Study

Houses,

#8

for

the

Eameses

and

#9

for

John

Entenza,

which

were

planned

relative

to

one

another

on

adjacent

sites

in Pacific

Palisades.

The

site

plans

for

the

two

houses

were

first

presented

in

a

single

drawing

by

Charles

and

Eero.

This

sketch

depicts

the

original

design

for

the

Eames House,

known

as

the

"the

Bridge

House."

In

this design,

the

house

is

a

single-story

steel

frame

and

glass

rectangle,

with

the

studio

component

placed

in

at

an

angle

forming

a

disconnected

acute

L-shape

in

plan.

The

living

component

is

sited

perpendicular

to

the

steep

hillside

on

the

west

edge

of

the

property,

and

partially

cantilevered

out

over

the

downward

slope

of

the meadow.

The

walls

along

the

south

elevation

are

paneled

with

glass,

taking

full

advantage

of

the

ocean

view

and

retaining

the

privacy

of

the

adjacent

Entenza

House.

Charles's

1947

visit

to

a

Mies

van

der

Rohe

exhibition

at

the

New

York

Museum

of

Modern

Art

is

generally

considered

the

motivation

behind

the

complete

redesign

of

the

house.

A

conceptual

sketch

for

a

linear,

elevated

steel

and

glass

house

on

display

at

the

exhibition

was

remarkably

similar

to

the

design

Eames

and

Saarinen

had

developed

with

engineer

Edgardo

Contini.

Many

critics

have

argued

that

Eames

changed

the

design

in

order

to

avoid appearing

derivative

of

Mies.

Yet,

in

his

monograph

on

the

Eames House,

architect

and

author

James

Steele

expresses

reservations

that

this

sufficiently

explains

the

major

changes made to the

design.

Perhaps

more

important

than

the

catalyst

was

the

house's

realignment

that,

according

to

Ray

Eames,

reflected

their

experience

and

use

of

the

site

during

the

two

years

elapsing

between

publication

of

the

original

design

and

the

delivery

of

materials

to

the

site.

Ray

reminisced

that

during

the

period,

"they

had

fallen

in

love

with

the

meadow."

34

Upon

his

return

from

New

York

in

1947,

Charles

Eames

completely

redesigned

the house,

even

though

the

building

parts

had

already

been

fabricated

and

delivered

to

the

site.

The

Eameses and

Arts

&

Architecture

32

Kirkham,

49.

33

Steele,

7.

34

Eames

Demetrios,

An

Eames

Primer

(New

York:

Universe

Publishing, 2001),

136.

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Historic

Places

Registration

Form

magazine

contended

that

the

house

was

reconsidered

in

order

to

better

utilize

the

already

purchased

materials,

thereby

emphasizing

the

concept

of

a

kit-of-parts

from

which

a

variety

of

possible

designs

could

be

constructed.

The

Entenza

House

was

built

as

originally designed

and

despite

the

rethinking

of

the

Eames

House,

the

two

adjacent

Case

Study

houses

still

had

much

in

common.

Architectural

Forum described them

as

"technological

twins

but

architectural

opposites."

35

The

two

houses

share

the

same

structural

system

of

a

steel frame

and open

web

joists,

though

they

were

enclosed

by

different

materials.

Distinguishing

the

Eames

House

from

its

neighbor,

the

structural

elements

of

Case

Study

House

#8

are

exposed

on

the

interior

and

the exterior,

making

apparent

the

exceptionally

thin

steel

frame

and

rhythm

of

the

bays.

The

two

houses

were

highly

influential

in

the

Case

Study

House

program. They

were

the

first

to

employ

a

steel

frame,

a

design

element

that

would

be

used

in

all

but

one

of

the

Case

Study

houses

built

in

the

1950s.

In

fact,

the

use

of

steel

would

ultimately

come

to

represent

the

program's

architectural

style

and

level

of

experimentation.

While the

Eames

and

Entenza

Houses

were

not

the

first

to

be completed,

they

were

the

first

to

be

published.

John

Entenza lived

in

Case

Study

House

#9

for only

six

years,

and

by

1955

the

Eameses

and

Entenza

were

on

poor

terms:

"The

friendship

deteriorated

in

the early

1950s

after

the

Plyformed

Wood

Company,

a

joint

business venture

to

produce

molded

plywood

splints

and airplane components

for

the

war

effort,

ended

in

a

law

suit."

36

The

Entenza

House

subsequently

underwent

so

many

alterations

that

"in

later

years

Ray

Eames

could

hardly

bear

to

let

anyone

so

much

as

catch

a

glimpse

of

it,

let

alone

consider

looking

inside,

so

different

was

it

from

the

original

design."

37

Design

of

the

Eames

House

Over

a

two-year

period

beginning

in

1947,

Charles

and Ray

Eames

completely

redesigned

their

house.

In

August

1948,

they

purchased

the

one

and

one-half

acre

lot from

John

Entenza.

The

new

design

for

Case

Study

House

#8

was

unveiled

in

the

May

1949

issue

of

Arts

&

Architecture.

The

residential

component

was

swung

around

ninety

degrees

to

align

with

the

studio

component with

both

structures

now

parallel

to

the

slope.

The

configuration

of

the

two

components

significantly

altered

the

house's

relationship

to

the

site,

and

ultimately

the

design

of

the

house

itself.

It

was

now

oriented

toward

the

meadow,

with

oblique

views

of

the

Pacific

Ocean.

Siting

the

house

behind

an

extant

row

of

eucalyptus

necessitated

digging

into

the hillside. While the

had

the

house

elevated

above

the

land,

the

new

design

"literally

fus[ed]

half

the

house

to

the

land"

with

the

retaining

wall

running

along

the

full

length

of

both

components.

38

Dirt

excavated

for

the

retaining

wall

was

used

to

create

the

berm

at

the

eastern

edge

of

the

property,

which

was

then

planted

with

hedges

to

obscure

the

adjacent

Entenza

House,

now

in

the

direct

sight

lines

from

the

Eames

House.

The

already

manufactured

steel

frame

intended

for

the

bridge

structure

would

now

be

used

to

construct

a

second

story.

35

Quoted

in

Smith,

Blueprints,

53.

36

Goldstein,

12.

3?T

'Kirkham,

126.

38

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Form

The

appearance

of

the

site

is

generally

unchanged

from

the

late

1940s.

The

Eames

House

is

screened

by

a

line

of

mature

eucalyptus trees

that

run

parallel

to

the

main

facade

of

the

residence

and

studio.

These trees

were

present

on

the

site

when

it

was acquired,

and photographs

show

the

steel

frame

of

the

house

being

erected

in

the

space

between

the

newly

poured

retaining

wall

and

the

extant

trees.

From

the line

of

trees,

the

property

slopes

gently

downward

to

a

grassy

meadow

which

has

been

left

in

its

"natural"

state.

All

of

these

landscape

features

contribute

to

the

overall

setting

of

the

Eames

House.

Looking

at

the

property

today, the

decision

to

reposition

the

house

seems

fortuitous.

Steele's

assessment

of

the

relationship

between

the

two

buildings

and

the

landscape

succinctly

captures

the

foresight

in

the redesign:

The

change

from

having

the

house

dominate

the

site

to

letting the

site

dictate

the

house's

location

resulted

in

a

solution

that

now

appears

so

natural

and

inevitable

that

it

is

difficult

to

imagine

any

other

location."

39

Fundamentally,

the

Eames

House

is

two

steel

framed

rectangular

boxes,

connected

by

an

open

court.

Taken

together,

the

two

components

comprise

2,500

square

feet

of

space,

and

each

is

composed

of

bay

modules

measuring

7'4"

wide.

Charles

saw

the

many

benefits

of

a

modular

system,

including

symmetry,

inherent

strength,

the

absence

of

waste,

and

the

speed

of

construction.

Constructed

of

prefabricated

parts,

five

men erected

the

structural

shell

in

sixteen

hours.

The

steel

frame

itself

is

deliberately

thin

to

give

the

impression

of

uninterrupted

space

from

the

interior

to

the

exterior.

Cross-bracing

composed

of

metal

cable

provides

additional

stability.

The

aesthetic

effect

of

the

structural

system

is

a

feeling

of

"lightness,

elegance,

minimalism,

and

rectilinear

geometric

form."

40

Although

the

Eames

House

was

first

recognized

for

its

innovative

use

of

prefabricated

industrial

parts,

some

have

since

argued

that

"its

great

novelty

lay

in

its

insistent

modesty,

its

detailing,

and

its

colorful

fasade."

41

Charles

and

Ray

composed

various

schemes

for

the

color,

transparency,

and

placement

of

the

wall

panels.

The

ultimate

configuration

was

meticulously

calculated

to

a

desired

effect,

allowing light

into

certain

spaces

at

particular

times

of

the

day.

The

colors

of

the

solid

panels

on

the

exterior

correspond

to

the

functions

taking

place

behind

them

on

the

interior.

42

Enclosing

the

steel

frame

with

panels

of

varying

sizes

and

materials

serves

to

"emphasize

rather than

disguise"

the

underlying

structure.

Architectural

historian

Pat

Kirkham

has

characterized

the

aesthetic

impact

of

the

frame

and

panel

configuration

as

a

"Mondrian-style

composition

in

a

Los

Angeles

meadow."

43

The

arrangement

of

interior

spaces

in

the

residence

and

studio

are

also

designed

for

a

certain

effect.

In

the

northern

portion

of

the

residence,

the

kitchen

and

utility

areas

open

onto

the

central

court.

This

configuration

mirrors

the

arrangement

of

the

service

core

and

darkroom

in

the studio

component

directly

opposite.

44

The

double-height,

glass-paneled

interior

spaces

occupy

the

outermost

portions

of

each

component,

creating

alternating

positive

and

negative

spaces.

45

The

smaller

interior

spaces,

such

as

upstairs bedrooms

and

bathrooms,

feature

well-placed glazed

panels

that

provide

light

without

compromising

privacy.

39

Kirkham,

114.

40

Ibid,

115.

41

Kirkham,

103.

42

Steele,

10-11.

43

Kirkham,

115.

44

The

enclosed

room

in

the

lower

story

of

the

studio

was

originally

a

darkroom,

but

is

currently

being

used

for

storage.

45

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The

design

of

the

house

emphasizes

space,

light,

and

flexibility.

The

interior

finishes

are

surprisingly

simple

and

utilitarian.

Large

open

spaces

do

not

prescribe

certain

uses,

but

are

effectively

multipurpose

rooms.

Even

the

sleeping

quarters

in

the

upstairs

portion

of

the

residential

component

employ

sliding

partitions

for

maximum

flexibility.

It

is

clear

that

the

house

was

designed

for

people

who

combined

work

and

play

and

every

aspect

of

their

daily

lives.

In

Charles

and

Ray's

own

words,

the

Eames

House

was

designed

for

"a

married

couple

both

occupied

professionally

with

mechanical

experiment

and

graphic

presentation."

46

In

this

way,

the

Eames

House

is

perhaps uniquely

suited

to

its

residents,

what

architect

and author

James

Steele

refers

to

as

the

"basic

paradox

of

the

Eames

House."

The

popular

appeal

of

the

Eames

House

is

directly

its

ability

to

serve

its

occupants,

and

yet

this

is

also

the

very

reason

that

the

design

could

not

be

replicated

to satisfy the

housing

needs

of

the

average

American

family

after

the

war.

47

The

Eames

House

is

arguably

the

most

skillfully-

executed

solution

to

the

questions

posed

by

the

Case

Study

House

program,

particularly

how

to

adapt

industrial

materials

and standardized

parts

to

domestic architecture.

However,

its

design

was

so

innovative

that

it

remained

a

prototype

whose significance

transcends

the

program.

Perhaps

John

Entenza

best

captured

the

essence

of

this

transcendence

when

he

explained that

the

Eames

House

"represented

an

attempt

to

state

an

idea

rather

than

a

fixed architectural

pattern."

48

Influence

of

the

Eames

House

The

influence

of

the

Eames

House

is

manifold. It

begins

with

its

place

among

the

body

of

work

produced

by

the

Case

Study

House

program.

Case

Study

Houses

#

8

and

#9

were

the

first

to

employ

the

steel

frame. The

steel

frame

house

would

ultimately

become

the

hallmark

of

the

program,

used

to

great

effect

by

Craig

Ellwood

and

Pierre

Koenig

in

their

Case

Study

houses

in

the

1950s.

The

Eames

House

is

considered

to

be

the

house

that

best

"fulfills

the

intention

of

the

programme

in

that

it

uses

prefabricated,

standardized

parts,

and

industrial,

rather

than

telluric

materials."

49

In

1971,

historian Reyner

Banham wrote

that

while

the

Eames

House

had

become

famous

for

many

reasons,

"the

most

crucial

factor

is

external

to

Eames's

qualities

as

a

designer:

it

was

the

publication

of

the

house

...

in

John

Entenza's

Los

Angeles-based

magazine,

Arts

&

Architecture."

50

The

Eames

House

is

without

question

the

best-known

of

the

Case

Study

houses.

It

was

from

the

time

of

its

completion,

and

continues

to

be,

published

and

studied

worldwide.

A

recent

search

of

the

Avery

Index

to

Periodicals

lists

over

240

articles about

the

Case

Study

House

program

and

its

houses,

and

the

Eameses themselves,

from

1945

to

the

present.

Of

these,

nearly

sixty

percent

were

published

somewhere

other

than

Arts

&

Architecture

magazine,

and

primarily

about

the

Eames

House.

Since

Arts

&

Architecture

ceased

publication

in

1967,

the

Eames

House

has

continued

to

be

the

subject

of

publications

throughout

the world.

It

is

the

Eameses'

only

widely-known

architectural

work

and

was

celebrated

in

Europe

as

proof

that

the

International

style

could

be

successfully

adapted

to

residential

architecture:

"Their

home

became

internationally

known

as

a

warm

and

'human'

solution

to

standardized

prefabricated

domestic

building."

51

Today,

the

Eames

House

remains

what

one

historian

has

deemed

"the most

celebrated

house

in

the

46

Kirkham,

110.

47

Steele,

19.

48

John

Entenza,

Arts

and

Architecture.

(December

1949),

27.

49

Ibid,

10.

50

T

"Banham,

223.

51

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program."

52

Charles

and Ray

While

the

Eames

House

is

inextricably

linked

to

the

Case

Study

House

program,

its

nationwide

influence

and

international

exposure

is

directly

associated

with

Charles

and

Ray,

both

as

professionals and

as

people.

Their

popular

appeal

as

a

handsome

married

couple,

combined with

their

increasing

status

in

the

design,

academic,

and

business

communities,

would

serve

to

make

the

Eameses

the

perfect

ambassadors

for

American

modernism.

Charles

Ormand

Eames was

born

in

1907

in

St.

Louis,

Missouri.

He

first

became

interested

in

photography

as

a

teenager,

but

received

a

scholarship

at

Washington

University

to study architecture.

He

began

his

studies

there

in

1925

but

left

in

his

second

year.

Working

as

a

draftsman

at

the

firm

of

Trueblood

&

Graf

during the

summers,

he

gained

early

practical

experience

in

an

architectural

office.

In

1930,

he

opened

his

own

firm

with

a

partner,

Charles

Gray.

They

were

later

joined

by

a

third

partner,

Walter

Pauley,

however,

the

firm

was

forced

to

close

the

office

after

only

four

years

due

to

the

economic

depression.

Shortly

thereafter,

Charles

Eames

established

the

firm

of

Eames

and

Walsh.

His

1936

design

for

St.

Mary's

Catholic

Church

in

Arkansas

was

published

in

Architectural

Forum

and

caught

the

attention

of

Eliel

Saarinen,

who

offered

Eames

a

fellowship

at

the

Cranbrook

Academy

of

Art

in

Michigan.

Charles

arrived

at

the

Academy

in

1938.

Within

two

years, he

had

joined

the

faculty

and

had

become

head

of

the

Academy's

Department

of

Industrial

Design.

It

was

during

his

tenure

at

the

Academy

that

Charles

met

Ray.

Bernice

Alexandra

"Ray"

Kaiser

was

born

in

Sacramento,

California,

in

1912.

After

graduating high

school

in

1931,

she

moved

with

her

mother

to

New

York.

In

New

York,

she

studied

painting

with

Hans

Hoffman,

an

abstract

artist

who

had

emigrated

from

Germany.

He

taught

at

the

New

York's

Art

Students

League,

and

later

founded

a

school

with

several

of

his students,

including

Ray.

Ray

began

her

studies at

Cranbrook

Academy

in

1940

and

excelled

in

the

areas

of

sculpture,

graphic

design,

fabric

design,

and painting.

It

was

during

what

is

considered

to

be

the

institution's

"vintage

period,"

when

numerous influential

designers

were

members

of

the

faculty

and

the

student body,

that

Ray

met

Charles.

53

The

two

married

in

1941

and

moved

to

Los

Angeles shortly

thereafter,

where

they

would

both

play

integral roles

in

the

advancement

of

the

Modern

movement.

According

to

design

historian

and

Eames

biographer

Pat

Kirkham,

Charles

and

Ray

Eames

"occupy

a

central

position

in

the

history

of

postwar

American

designs

and

are

considered

by

many

to

be

among

the

most,

if

not

the

most,

important

American

designers

of

the

twentieth

century."

54

The

Eameses

produced

an

array

of

books,

films,

and

exhibitions during

their

long

and

prolific

careers

that

Kirkham

believes

"changed

the

way

people

thought

about

objects,

largely

by

presenting them

in

new

ways

and

by

encouraging different

ways

of

perceiving,

grouping,

and

displaying

them."

55

More

than

designers,

Charles

and

Ray

Eames

were

communicators and

educators,

always

looking

for

inventive

ways

to

share

their

ideas

with

broader

audiences.

52

Goldstein,

9-10.

53

Faculty

and

students

at

the

Cranbrook

Academy

during

this

period

included

Eliel

Saarinen,

Eero

Saarinen,

Harry

Weese,

Florence

Schust

(later

Knoll),

Benjamin

Baldwin,

Harry

Bertoia,

and

Don

Albinson.

Kirkham,

46-47.

54

Kirkham,

1.

55

Ibid,

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While

Charles

always

referred

to

himself

as

an

architect,

he

and

his

wife

are

perhaps

best

known

for

their

innovative

furniture

designs

of

the

1940s

and

1950s.

Charles

began

designing furniture

in

collaboration

with

Eero

Saarinen,

but

a

contemporary

assessment

of

his

furniture

designs

suggest

that

it

was

"with

Ray

that

Charles

produced

some

of

the

most

visually

interesting

and

technologically

adventurous

furniture

of

the

mid

twentieth

century."

56

The

Eameses

sought

to

apply

mass-production

techniques

perfected

during the

war

to

the

manufacture

of

furniture.

As

early

as

1946,

Eames

furniture

designs

were

recognized

for

their

innovation.

That

year

the

Museum

of

Modern

Art

in

New

York

hosted

an

exhibition entitled

New

Furniture

Designed

by

Charles

Eames.

In

the

September

1946

issue

of

Arts

&

Architecture,

Eliot Noyes,

the

first

director

of

design

at IBM

venerate

the

aesthetic

and

technological

inventiveness

of

Charles

Eames'

furniture

designs.

The

following

quote

captures

his

unabashed

enthusiasm

and

praise:

There

is

no

need

to

qualify

the

statement.

Charles

Eames has

designed and

produced

the

most

important

group

of

furniture ever

developed

in

this

country.

His

achievement

is

a

compound

of

aesthetic

brilliance

and

technical

inventiveness.

He

has

not

only

produced

the

finest

chairs

of

modern

design,

but

through

borrowing,

improvising,

and

inventing

techniques,

he has

for

the

first

time

exploited

the

possibilities

of

mass

production

methods

for

the

manufacture

of

furniture.

57

Noyes

also

highlighted

Charles's

highly

practical

design philosophy,

which

included

developing

designs

that

could

be manufactured

economically,

sold

cheaply,

and

that

were

as

useful

as

possible,

without

attempts to

cater

to

an

"assumed

public

taste."

In

other

words,

if

it

is

well

designed,

the

public

will

want

it.

58

This

approach

would

become

a

mainstay

of

Charles

and

Ray's

work.

The

1946

Museum

of

Modern

Art

exhibit

marked

the

beginning

of

the

Eames

partnership

with

the

Herman

Miller

Furniture

Company, the

only company

to

manufacture

Eames

furniture

designs.

Miller

and

Eames

shared

a

commitment

to

an

honest

approach

to design.

Donald

Albrecht,

director

and

curator

of

the

Eames

Exhibition

at

the

Library

of

Congress

more

than

fifty

years

later

suggests:

"They

created

what

they

found

interesting,

followed

their

instincts, and

believed

their

good

ideas

would

ultimately

find

a

market."

59

Among

the

most

ubiquitous

of

these

furniture designs

are

the

Eames

chairs,

including

the

molded

plywood

chair

(1946),

the

fiberglass

chair

(1950),

and

the

lounge

chair

and

ottoman

(1956).

By

the

1950s,

Eames

furniture designs

had

become

ubiquitous

in

offices

throughout

the nation.

These

pieces

have

since

become

"classics

of

mid-

century

modernism"

and

continue to

be manufactured

by

Herman

Miller

to

this

day.

60

The

Eamses'

design acuity

was

complimented

by

a

savvy

business

sense.

Their

clientele

ranged

from

the

Federal

government,

for

whom they

designed

and

manufactured

molded

plywood

leg splints

during

World

War

II,

to

some

of

the

largest

and

most

successful

corporations

in

the

nation.

General

Motors,

Westinghouse,

Boeing,

and

Polaroid

all

commissioned

the

Eameses

to

work

for

them,

usually

in

developing

tools

for

educating

the

general

public

about

the

usefulness

of

products.

In

what Albrecht

describes

as

a

"rare

era

of

shared

objectives,"

the

Eameses

were

able

to

partner

with

governmental

and

business

organizations

that not

only

56

Ibid,

356.

57

Eliot

Noyes,

"Charles

Eames,"

Arts

&

Architecture

(September

1946),

in

Goldstein,

66.

58

Goldstein,

66.

59

Donald

Albrecht,

"Design

Is

a

Method

of

Action,"

The

Work

of

Charles

and

Ray

Eames:

A

Legacy

of

Invention

(New

York:

Harry

N.

Abrams,

Inc.,

1997),

23.

60

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admired

their

vision

of

a

modernized

postwar

America,

but

as

Albrecht

further

indicates,

also

possessed

the

"political,

financial,

and

technological

capabilities

to

realize

their

vision."

61

These

partnerships

proved

mutually

beneficial,

and

increasingly exposed

a

broader

sector

of

the

public

to

the

Eameses and

their

work.

Beginning

in

the

1950s,

Charles

and

Ray

Eames

directed

their

energy

toward

mass

communication,

through

innovative exhibitions, installations,

publications,

and

films.

Their

books,

multi-screen

slide

shows,

films,

and

interactive

museum

exhibitions

covered

a

wide

range

of

subjects.

These

works

were

cast

to

help

people

understand

and

engage

the

everyday

world

both

nearby

and

afar.

Their

"India

Report"

(1958),

commissioned

by

the

Indian

government;

Glimpses

of

the

USA

(1959),

a

multi-screen

film;

the

Mathematica:

A

World

of

Numbers

and Beyond

exhibit

(1961);

and

"The

World

of

Franklin

and

Jefferson"

(1976),

a

traveling

exhibition

commissioned

by

the

American

Revolution

Bicentennial Administration,

are

among

their

most

complex,

ambitious,

and

best

known

mass

communication

projects.

62

The

impact

of

these

projects

could

be

far

reaching,

as

illustrated

in

the

following

excerpt:

The

Eamses'

"India

Report"

...

contained

recommendations

for

industrializing and making

mass-prodcuced

goods

without

losing

the

qualities

of

the

country's

traditional

handicrafts.

Among

the

Eamses'

recommendations

was

the

establishment

of

a

government-supported

design

institute

which

would

foster

India's

development

as

the

country

underwent

revolutionary

changes

and

would

help

small

industries

produce

consumer

goods.

As

a

result

of

the

Eameses

report,

the

National

Institutue

of

Design

was

established

in

1961

in

Ahmedabad,

the

institution for

industrial

design,

education,

and

training in

the

developing

world.

63

Charles

and Ray

Eames

brought

the

same

focus

and

aim

to

their

smaller works

as

well.

Two

of

their

short

films,

Toccata

for

Toy

Trains

(1957)

and

Tops

(1969),

further

reflect

the

Eameses'

belief

in

the

value

and

educational

role

of

ordinary

objects. In

the

two

films,

Charles

and Ray

used their

personal

collection

of

toys

gathered

in

their

world

travels

to

create

a

visual

experience

of

the

principles

of

design

and

thus

an

accessible

understanding.

During

this

same

period,

the Eamses

started

to

receive

commissions

from

corporations

to

develop

films

and

exhibitions

that

would

introduce

new

technologies

to

the

general

public.

In

the

1970s,

the

Eameses

produced

a

number

of

films

for

Polaroid,

marketing

the

idea

of

instant

cameras.

However,

the

most

enduring

and lucrative

of

these

corporate

partnerships

was

with

International

Business

Machines

(IBM).

The

Eameses

began

working

with

IBM

in

1958.

Over

the

decades,

Charles

and

Ray

produced

some

fifty

exhibitions,

books,

and

films

designed

to

"demystify

concepts

of

science

and

mathematics

and

familiarize

the

public

with

computers."

64

With

the

financial

support

of

IBM,

the

Eameses'

presentations

became

more complex,

including

multi-screen

slide

shows

and

films

designed

to

"engage

the

visitor's

interest."

65

The

1960

Mathematica

exhibition

was

funded

by

IBM

for

the

California

Museum

of

Science

and

Industry's

opening

of

a

new

wing.

The

Eameses

also

designed

the

22-screen

Think

for

the

IBM

pavilion

at

the

1964

New

York

World's

Fair.

Perhaps

the

work that

best

illustrates

the

Eameses'

ability

to make

science

interesting

and

accessible

is

Powers

of

Ten:

A

Film

Dealing

with

the

Relative

Size

of

Things

in

the

Universe

and

the

Effect

of

Adding

Another

Zero,

first

produced

in

1968.

The

film

begins

with

an

overhead

shot

of

a

man lying

in

a

park;

then,

as

described

by

architectural

historian,

Pat

Kirkham:

61

Albrecht,

13.

62

Steele,

24.

Library

of

Congress,

"The

Work

of

Charles

&

Ray

Eames,

Exhibition,"

[http:www.loc.gov/exhibits/eames/culture.html

(September

22,

2005)]

63

Library

of

Congress,

"The

Work

of

Charles

&

Ray

Eames,

Exhibition."

64

Ibid,

15.

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Using

a

continuous

zoom,

the

film

takes

the

viewer

out from

the

Earth

to

the

farthest

known

point

in space

and

then

back

to the

nucleus

of

a

carbon atom

while

chronometers

on

a

split

screen

register

distance

traveled

at

the

rate

of

one

power

often

every

ten

seconds.

66

Powers

of

Ten

has

been

used

widely

in

schools

and

science

museums

as

an

educational

tool,

and

it

is

yet

another

example

of

the

sheer

scope

of

the

Eameses'

careers.

Donald

Albrecht

succinctly

captured

the

breadth

of

their

work

with

the

assessment

that

"Charles and

Ray

Eames

started

by

designing

a

simple

molded-plywood

chair,

and

they

ended

by

tackling

the

challenge

of

explaining

the

nature

of

the

universe."

67

These

highly

effective tools

for

learning

also

greatly

increased

the

public's

awareness

of

Charles

and

Ray

Eames,

both

nationally

and

globally.

The

seven-screen

film,

Glimpses

of

the

U.S.A.

had

been

designed

to

present

a

positive

portrayal

of

American

life

at

the

1959

American

National Exhibition

in Moscow.

Kirkham

has

characterized

the showing

of

the

film

as

"the

first cultural

exchange

between

the

two

countries

since

the

Bolshevik

Revolution."

68

The

World

of

Franklin

and

Jefferson,

celebrating

the

American

Bicentennial,

produced

a

book,

three

films,

and

an

exhibition

that traveled

internationally.

Because

of

such

projects,

Charles

and

Ray

became well

known

not

only

throughout

the

United

States,

but

in

Western

Europe,

Japan,

and

India.

69

In

all,

Charles

and

Ray

produced

eighty

short

films,

plus

dozens

of

books,

museum

exhibitions,

and

education

tools

of

all

kinds.

All

of

these

projects

served

to

spread

their

enthusiasm

for

a

modern

future

beyond

the

realm

of

designers

and

academics,

and

into

the

mainstream.

The

Eameses

were

at

the

forefront

of

the

postwar

Modernist

movement

in

the

United

States,

and did

more

than

any

other individuals

to

bring

American

modernism

to

the

rest

of

the

world.

Their

furniture,

toys,

buildings,

films,

exhibitions,

and

books

were

all

aimed

at

improving

the

lives

of

average

people.

Donald

Albrecht,

director

of

the

2001

Eames

Exhibiton

at

the

Library

of

Congress,

has

argued

that

"Charles

Eames

(1907-78)

and

Ray

Eames

(1912-88)

gave

shape

to

America's

twentieth

century;

their

projects

"elevated

the

Eameses

to

the

status

of

U.S.

ambassadors overseas

HC\

and

cultural

interpreters

of

the

meaning

of

America

at

home."

Eames-Associated

Sites

The

Eames

House

is

the

single

property

most

closely

associated

with

Charles

and Ray

Eames.

Not

only

is

it

one

of

the

few

architectural

works

designed

by

Charles Eames,

but

the

property

served

as

the

couple's

private

residence and

design

studio

throughout

their

prolific

careers.

Only

a

handful

of

other

properties

bear

an

association

with

the

Eameses.

A

unit

in

the Strathmore

Apartments

in

the

Westwood

neighborhood

of

Los

Angeles

was

the

couple's

first

home

upon

arriving

in

California

in

1941.

Designed

by Richard

Neutra

in

1937,

it

was

where

the

Eameses

lived

until

1949,

when

they

moved

into

their

newly

completed

home

in

Pacific

Palisades.

An

industrial

building

at

901

Washington

Boulevard

in

Venice,

California,

is

where

the

Eameses

and

their

staff

did

the

majority

of

their

productive/production

work

after

1943.

This

building

was

converted

for

use

as

the offices

of

architect

Frank

Israel

in

the

1980s,

which

has

affected

the

integrity

of

the

building

in

its

association

with

the

Eameses.

66

Ibid,

353.

67

Albrecht,41.

68

Ibid,

32.

69

Kirkham,

356.

70

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15;

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Charles

Eames

executed

several

commissions

in

the

architectural

partnerships

to

which

he

belonged

in

the

1930s.

While

these

commissions

are

considered

a

significant

part

of

his

development

as

a

designer,

none

of

these

buildings

has

a

comparable

capacity

to

demonstrate

Charles'

later

thought

and

activity

in

architecture,

furniture

design,

film,

photography,

or

exhibition

design.

In

addition,

these

buildings

do

not

reflect

any

contribution

of

his

wife and

collaborator,

Ray,

whom

he

did

not

meet

until

1940.

The

Herman

Miller

Furniture

Showroom

in

West

Hollywood,

California,

is

the

only

commercial

building

and

one

of

only

three

buildings

in

California designed

by

Charles

Eames

(along

with

Case

Study

House

#8,

and

Case

Study

House

#9

with

Eero

Saarinen).

Charles

designed

the

showroom

in

1949,

at

the

same

time

he

was

working

on

his

own

house.

He

designed

a

private

residence

for

director

Billy

Wilder

in

1951,

but

it

was

never

built.

The

Wilder

house

was

Eames'

last

building

design

before

dedicating

himself

to

other

interests

and

pursuits.

The

Eames

House

as

a

Home

Charles

is

regarded

as

one

of

the

most

innovative

and

influential

of

American

designers,

and

the

Eames

House

is

one

of

his

few

experiments

with

architecture.

In

addition

to

its

significance

as

an

important

work

of

Modern

architecture,

the

Eames

House

is

significant

as

the

private residence

and

studio

of

husband

and

wife,

Charles

and

Ray

Eames.

It

is

the

only

building

that

Charles

designed

for

himself,

and it

is

the

work

that

most

completely represents

his

close

collaboration

with

his

wife

and

partner,

Ray.

Outwardly

it

may

have

appeared

that

Charles

was

the

sole

mastermind

behind

the

Eames

designs.

Ray

was

shy

in

public,

while

Charles

was

affable.

Still,

Ray

was

always

by

Charles'

side,

taking

great

pride

in

her

husband's

public

success

and

recognition,

while

Charles

was

often

made

uncomfortable

by

the

use

of

the

word

"genius"

to

describe

him.

Privately

their

collaboration

is

said

to

have

been

one

of

mutual

respect:

"Ray

was

always

the

first

to

give

Charles

credit,

and

vice

versa."

71

While Charles

is

the

architect

of

record

for

the

Eames

House,

at

least

one

of

Ray's

study sketches

of

the

house

survives

and

it

is

reasonable

to

speculate

on

the

integral

role

Ray

played

in

its

design.

72

Kirkham

offers

the

following

assessment:

It

is

inconceivable

that

a

woman with

such

strong

opinions

on

design

and

aesthetics

as

Ray,

who

was

used

to

talking

through

every

design

issue

with

her

husband

and

had

collaborated with

him

for

several

years

through

all

the

experimental

and

production

stages

of

their

plywood

products,

would

not play

a

significant

part

in

the

design

of

her

own

home.

73

71

Kirkham,

377.

72

Demetrios,

136-137.

73

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Interior,

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Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

As

a

trained

architect, Charles

possessed

expertise

in

the

structural

and

engineering

aspects

of

the

design

of

the

Eames

House.

However,

the

influence

of

abstract

painting

on

the

house

is

obvious,

and

Ray

is

often

credited

with

the

graphic

design approach

to

the

primary

facade.

Like

nearly

all

of

their work

after

1940,

the

Eames

House

is

most

accurately

considered

a

joint-effort

of

both

Charles

and

Ray:

"They

cooperated

throughout

their

life

together

on everything

the

Eames

Office

produced

-

the

Eames

House

is

the

culmination

of

that

partnership."

74

Much

of

the

Eames

House's

popularity

was

derived

not

from

its

historical

significance

in

Modern

architecture,

but

as

the

private residence

of

a

thoroughly modern

couple

in

which,

as

noted

by

Kirkham,

"Ray

did

not

remain

rjr

at

home

and

Charles

in

the

office."

In

fact,

the

very

configuration

of

their

house,

with both

a

living

and

a

working

component

situated

side

by

side,

suggested

that

the

two

of

them

engaged

equally

in

work

and

play,

and

did

so

together.

At

the

same

time,

however,

they

did

not

make

any

"radical

breaks

from

the

dominant

codes

of

masculinity

and

femininity."

76

As

a

married

couple,

the

Eameses

were

very

recognizable

to

average

American

families.

The

handsome

husband

and

his

capable

yet

devoted

wife

constantly

appeared

in

photographs

together,

and

always

smiling.

As

Charles

and

Ray's

popular

appeal

grew,

so

did

America's

interest

in

their

domestic

life.

Articles

about

the

Eames

House

appeared

not

only

in

respected

architectural

journals,

but

also

in

the

pages

of

lifestyle

magazines,

such

as

Life

and

Vogue.

11

Filled

with

their

personal

belongings,

the

house

appealed

to

those

who

otherwise

considered

Modernism

cold

and

impersonal.

In

this

way,

the

house became

yet

another

tool

for

promoting

the

Eameses'

version

of

the

modern

lifestyle:

"Their

marriage

was

one

of

creative

talents

and

traditional

domesticity.

Their

house

exemplified

the

era's

hearth-and-home

focus."

78

The

Eames

House

itself

functioned

as

a

showroom

for

Charles

and

Ray's

vast

personal

collections

and

domestic

life.

As

early

as

their

1955

film

House

After

Five

Years

of

Living,

Charles

and

Ray

portrayed

the

house

not

as

a

stoic

work

of

architecture,

but

as

a

private

home

that

is

"reflective

of

their

personal

style

as

a

couple."

79

Images

in

the

film

include

close-ups

of

personal

artifacts

as

well

as

the

eucalyptus

trees

reflected

in

the

glass,

both

considered

to

be

part

of

the

house

itself.

The

film

illustrates

the

Eameses'

comprehensive

approach

to

domestic

design

that

considers

not

only

the

building,

but

all

of

the

objects

and

activities

contained

within

it.

By

late

1950s,

Charles

and

Ray's

house

contained

a

sizable

collection

of

furniture

(much

of

it

of

their

own

design),

as

well

as

rugs,

blankets,

lanterns,

statuary,

plants,

toys, dolls,

pillows, candlesticks,

masks,

and

all

measure

of

decorative

items.

80

As

the

collections

grew,

the

role

of

the

house

as

a

"light

unselfconscious

enclosure,

a

minimum

of

architecture,

providing]

a

flexible

frame

for

multiple

interior arrangements"

became

more

apparent.

81

The

Eameses

characterized

their

home

as

a

"shock

absorber,"

designed

to

contain

and

protect

the

ever-changing

lifestyle

within

it.

82

For

Charles

and

Ray,

the

Eames

House

was

not

an

object,

but

a

space

for

living

in

and

in

it

they

put

their

life

on

display

for

all

to

see.

74

Steele,

25.

75

Kirkham,

375.

76

Ibid,

375.

77

The

Eames

House

appeared

in

the

April

15,

1954

issue

of

Vogue

magazine,

as

well

as

in

the

June

15,

1954

issue

of

Life

magazine. Colomina,

146-147.

78

Albrecht,

17.

79

Steele,

12.

80

Kirkham,

187-188.

81

Colomina,

146.

82

Ibid,

132.

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

NFS

Form

10-900

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

EAMES

HOUSE

Page

28

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

Charles

and Ray

Eames

resided

in

the

house

from

its

completion

until

each

of

their

deaths.

Their

collections,

including

artworks,

books,

furniture,

and

other

artifacts,

remain

in

the

house

today,

arranged

almost

exactly

as

they

were during

their

lifetimes.

Members

of

the

Eames

family

continue to

be

involved

in

the

house

and

have

demonstrated extraordinary

stewardship

over

it.

The

studio

component

currently

functions

as

the

office

of

the

Eames

Foundation,

which

owns

the

property.

The

Foundation

is

operated

by

Charles'

daughter,

Lucia

Eames

Demetrios,

and

her

son,

Eames

Demetrios.

In

this

way,

the

Eames

House continues

to

serve

as

the

primary

physical

legacy

of

the

Eames

family.

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

NFS

Form

10-900

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

EAMES

HOUSE

Page

29

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

9.

MAJOR

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL

REFERENCES

Albrecht,

Donald.

"Design

Is

a

Method

of

Action."

The

Work

of

Charles

and

Ray

Fames:

A

Legacy

of

Invention.

New

York:

Harry

N.

Abrams,

Inc.,

1997.

"Announcement:

The

Case

Study

House

Program."

Arts

&

Architecture,

January

1945. p.

54-55.

Banham,

Reyner.

Los

Angeles:

The

Architecture

of

Four

Ecologies.

Alien

Lane, The

Penguin

Press,

1971;

New

York:

Pelican

Books,

1973.

"Case

Study

House

for

1949:

The

Steel

Frame."

Arts

&

Architecture,

March

1949.

p.

30-31.

"Case

Study

House

for

1949:

The

Plan."

Arts

&

Architecture,

May

1949.

p.

38-39.

"Case

Study

House

#20,

Richard

Neutra,

Architect."

Arts

&

Architecture,

December

1948. p.

32-41.

"Case

Study

House

[#8]:

A

House

Designed

and

Built

for

the

Magazine

Arts

&

Architecture."

Arts

&

Architecture,

July

1950.

p.

26-39.

"Case

Study

House,

Rodney

Walker,

Designer."

Arts

&

Architecture,

February

1948.

p.

39-43.

"Case

Study

Houses."

Arts

&

Architecture,

March

1948.

p.

39-41.

Colomina,

Beatriz.

"Reflections

on

the

Eames

House."

The

Work

of

Charles

and

Ray

Fames:

A

Legacy

of

Invention.

New

York:

Harry

N.

Abrams,

Inc.,

1997.

Demetrios,

Eames.

An

Eames

Primer.

New

York:

Universe

Publishing,2001.

Goldstein,

Barbara,

ed.

Arts

&

Architecture,

the

Entenza

Years.

Cambridge,

Mass,

and

London:

the

MIT

Press,

1990.

Hines, Thomas.

Richard

Neutra

and

the

Search

for

Modern

Architecture.

New

York

and

Oxford:

Oxford

University

Press,

1982.

Kirkham,

Pat.

Charles

and

Ray

Eames,

Designers

of

the

Twentieth

Century.

Cambridge,

Mass.,

and

London:

MIT

Press,

1995.

Los

Angeles

County Tax

Assessor's

Archives,

map

books.

Los

Angeles

Department

of

Building

and

Safety,

Historical

Building

Permits.

McCoy,

Esther.

Case

Study

Houses

1945

-1962.

Los

Angeles:

Hennessey

&

Ingalls,

1977.

McCoy,

Esther.

The

Second

Generation.

Layton,

UT:

Peregrine

Smith

Books,

1984.

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

NFS

Form

10-900

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

EAMES

HOUSE

Page

30

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

Neuhart,

John,

Marilyn

Neuhart,

and Ray

Eames.

Fames

Design:

the

Work

of

the

Office

of

Charles

and

Ray

Fames.

New

York:

Harry

N.

Abrams,

1989.

Pacific

Palisades,

Where

the

Mountains

Meet

the

Sea,

ed.

Betty

Lou

Young.

Pacific Palisades,

CA:

Pacific

Palisades

Historical

Society

Press,

1983.

Smith,

Elizabeth

A.

T.,

ed.

Blueprints

for

Modern

Living:

History

and

Legacy

of

the

Case

Study

Houses.

Los

Angeles:

Museum

of

Contemporary

Art;

and

Cambridge,

Mass,

and

London:

The

MIT

Press,

1989.

Steele,

James.

Eames

House,

Charles

and

Ray

Eames.

London:

Phaidon

Press

Ltd.,

1995.

on

file

(NPS):

x

Preliminary Determination

of

Individual

Listing

(36

CFR

67)

has

been

requested.

__

Previously

Listed

in

the

National

Register.

__

Previously

Determined

Eligible

by

the

National

Register.

__

Designated

a

National

Historic

Landmark.

__

Recorded

by

Historic

American

Buildings

Survey: #

__

Recorded

by

Historic

American Engineering

Record:

#

Primary

Location

of

Additional

Data:

State

Historic

Preservation

Office

Other

State

Agency

Federal

Agency

x

Local

Government

_

University

_

Other

(Specify

Repository):

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

NFS

Form

10-900

USDI/NPS

MRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

EAMES

HOUSE

Page

31

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

10.

GEOGRAPHICAL

DATA

Acreage

of

Property:

1.4

acres

UTM

References:

Zone

Easting Northing

11

359758

3766051

Verbal

Boundary

Description:

The

subject

property

is

comprised

of

Tract

#13251,

Lot

1

(Assessor

Parcel

Number

4411-028-001).

The

property

is

bounded

by

Chautauqua

Boulevard

on

the

southeast;

the

lot

line

of

the

property

at

205

Chautauqua

Boulevard

(Tract

#13251,

Lot

2)

on

the

east/northeast;

Corona

del

Mar

on

the

northwest;

and

the

lot

lines

of

14841

W

Pacific

Coast

Highway

(Tract

#9473,

block

6,

lot

5)

and

14861

W

Pacific

Coast

Highway

(Tract

#6753,

block

6,

lot

4)

on

the

west/southwest.

The

site

measures approximately

1.4

acres

(60,794.7

square

feet).

Property boundaries

are

indicated

on

the

accompanying

map.

Boundary

Justification:

The

boundary

includes

the

original

house

and

studio

that

were

constructed

on

the

property

purchased

by

Charles

and Ray

Eames

from

John

Entenza

in

August

1948

and

that

maintain

historic

integrity.

NFS

Form

10-900

EAMES

HOUSE

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

Page

32

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

11.

FORM PREPARED

BY

Name/Title:

Historic

Resources

Group.

(Christy

Johnson

McAvoy,

Managing

Principal;

Jennifer

Minasian

Trotoux,

Architectural

Historian;

Kari

Michele

Fowler,

Preservation

Planner).

Address:

1728

Whitley

Avenue,

Hollywood

CA

90028

Telephone:

(323)

469-2349

Date:

May

2005

Edited

by:

Elaine

Jackson-Retondo

National

Park

Service

Pacific

West

Regional

Office,

Oakland

1111

Jackson

Street,

Suite

700

Oakland,

California

94607

Telephone:

(510)817-1428

Edited

by:

Carolyn

Pitts and

Patty

Henry

National

Park

Service

National

Historic

Landmarks

Survey

1849CSt,N.W.

(2280)

Washington,

DC

20240

Telephone: (215)

597-8875

and

(202)

354-2216

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARKS

SURVEY

January

24,

2007

NFS

Form

10-900

EAMES

HOUSE

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

Page

33

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

NFS

Form

10-900

EAMES

HOUSE

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

Page

34

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

UJ

NFS

Form

10-900

EAMES

HOUSE

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

Page

35

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

fc

PH

P

V

1EU

r

t^--

o

O

ffl

NATIONAL

HISTORIC

LANDMARK

NOMINATION

NFS

Form

10-900

USDI/NPS

NRHP

Registration

Form

(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

1024-0018

EAMES

HOUSE

Page

36

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

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Service

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

List

of

Black

and

White Photographs

No.

Description

View

NATIONAL

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LANDMARK

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NRHP

Registration

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(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

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1024-0018

EAMES

HOUSE

Page

37

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

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National

Register

of

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Places

Registration

Form

List

of

Black

and

White Photographs,

continued.

No.

Description

View

NFS

Form

10-900

EAMES

HOUSE

United

States

Department

of

the

Interior,

National

Park

Service

NATIONAL

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NOMINATION

USDI/NPS

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(Rev.

8-86)

OMB

No.

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38

National

Register

of

Historic

Places

Registration

Form

List

of

Color

Slides

No.

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#1

#8

#9

#10

#11

#12

Description

Studio,

north

fa?ade

Studio,

east fa?ade

Residence,

north

and

east

facades

Residence,

east fa?ade

Residence,

north

fa?ade

and central

court

Residence,

south

fa?ade

and

south

court

Residence,

living

room

Residence,

seating

alcove

and

entry

Residence,

entry

and

stairs

Residence,

kitchen

Residence,

loft

bedroom

Studio,

main

workspace and

stairs

View

SE

W

SW

W

SW

NW

S

N

S

NW

SW

S