Eames Home  

thanks to modern move webite
I found this on Modern move website
The Eames House (also known as Case Study House No. 8), is a landmark of mid-20th century modern architecture. It was constructed in 1949 in Pacific Palisades, California (a suburban neighborhood of Los Angeles) by husband-and-wife design pioneers Charles and Ray (Kaiser) Eames, to serve as their home and studio. Unusually for such an avant-garde design, the Eames publicized the house as a thoroughly lived-in, usable, and well-loved home. While many icons of the modern movement are depicted as stark, barren spaces devoid of human use, photographs and motion pictures taken at the Eames house reveal a richly decorated, almost cluttered space full of thousands of books, art objects, artifacts, and charming knick-knacks as well as dozens of projects in various states of completion. The Eames' gracious live-work lifestyle continues to be an influential model.
The design of the house was proposed by Charles and Ray as part of the famous Case Study House program for John Entenza's Arts and Architecture magazine. The idea of a Case Study house was to hypothesize a modern household, elaborate its functional requirements, have an esteemed architect develop a design that met those requirements using modern materials and construction processes, and then to actually build the home. The houses were documented before, during and after construction for publication in Arts and Architecture. The Eames' proposal reflected their own household and their own needs; a young married couple wanting a place to live, work and entertain in one undemanding setting in harmony with the site.
A site near the coast in Pacific Palisades, on a wooded bluff that was once part of Will Rogers' large estate, was selected. The design was first sketched out by Charles Eames with fellow architect Eero Saarinen in 1945 as a raised steel and glass box projecting out of the slope and spanning the entrance drive before cantilevering dramatically over the front yard. The structure was to be constructed entirely from "off-the-shelf" parts available from steel fabricators catalogs. Immediately after the war, though, these parts were in very short supply. By the time the materials arrived three years later, much pre-construction time had been spent picnicking at and exploring the lot where the house would stand. After a period of intense collaboration between the Charles and Ray, the scheme was radically changed to sit more quietly in the land and avoid impinging upon the pleasant meadow that fronted the house.

cont, Eames house
The new design tucked the house sidelong into the slope, with an 8 foot (2.4 meter) tall by 200 foot (60 meter) long concrete retaining wall on the uphill side. A mezzanine level was added, making use of a prefabricated spiral stair that was to have been the lower entrance. The upper level holds the bedrooms and overlooks the double-height living room. A courtyard was also introduced, separating the residence from the studio space. This revised scheme required only one additional beam. The 17 foot (5.1 meter) tall facade is broken down into a rigidly geometric, almost Mondrianesque composition of brightly colored panels between thin steel columns and braces, painted black. The entry door is marked with a gold-leaf panel above. An existing row of eucalyptus trees was preserved along the exposed wall of the house, providing some shading and a visual contrast with the house's bold facade.
Of the twenty-five Case Study Houses built, the Eames house is considered the most successful both as an architectural statement and as a comfortable, functional living space. The brash sleekness of the design made it a favorite backdrop for fashion shoots in the 1950s and 1960s. Perhaps the proof of its success in fulfilling its program is the fact that it remained at the center of the Eames' life and work from the time they moved in (Christmas Eve, 1949) until their deaths.
The Eames' family maintains the house as an occasional residence. They have overseen the conservation of the structure and have preserved Charles and Ray's collections and decor. The studio is used for the continuing work of the Eames Office.
References
Steele, James (1994). Eames House: Charles & Ray Eames (Architecture in Detail). London & New York: Phaidon. ISBN 0-7148-4212-5.
Smith, Elizabeth A. T. (1989). Blueprints for Modern Living: History and Legacy of the Case Study Houses. Cambridge: MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-69213-9.

Considering that...
preserving the Eames legacy favours those who still benefit from that legacy, I would see it as an obvious solution that this monument...that's realy what it is...is maintained by all those who legaly share in the use of the Eames name and subsequent copyrights.
If a foundation was set up, it could be given a permanent income from the interest generated by the capital funded by these copyrights.

Koen
I agree with what you say Koen ..
but are you saying that the family who benifits from the Royalties of the Eames Estate fiance the renovation of the House or should it be Private funds?

Hi LRF,
I try to put myself in their shoes and if Ray And Charles Eames were my grand mother and father I would have a serious talk with the Herman Miller people and point out how important it is for their bussines and for for me emotionally to keep their home in good shape. Of course the community (at differen levels has some interests to but as with Falling Water, public interest only kicks in when the site is public.

There is a foundation.
There is a foundation.
http://www.eamesfoundation.org

good design for the masses
If I wanted to build a replica, would I be able to get the parts off-the-shelf today? Are the plans available? Would there be copyright issues? What would it cost?

good design for the masses
I have that price for you considering that he bought that property off of the will rodgers estate in the late 40's it has gone up quite bit..
how about 4.5 million an acre in Pacific Palacades with nice neighbors like
steven Spielberg. and sly Stalone
So say it he has 3 acres you can do the math around 13 million for the dirt... and that is being very conservative.. it could be more.. now for the House .... Ray Eames like things small and cozy so say the house is 3000 sq ft At around $500
a sq ft. in 2007 prices with nice build outs . and nice paneling on the outsides plus fancy bathrooms and a nice kitchen
you could have a modest but small home for $1,500,000
add your lot plus your modest home
The Eames have a very confortable home for a round 15 million... no wonder they don't want to do a damn thing with it to fix it up , they proberly hope that us nosey people will go a way and they can quiety sell the place for 20 million to some developer who will build 6 homes and come out very nicely .

check home Depot first Then Dwell
On that home all you need to do is build a nice steel box get some metal louvers, get some paint be sure to powdercoat it so it will last. Next build your loft.. Your local Home depot will have every thing you need. you should be able to knock that one out in around a month or get in contact with Dwell magazine they have devoted there exsistance on small homes, prefab homes ,off site trucked in homes.
you name it they devote a entire issue
on those type of homes. If You want to go Green even better they are right there for you.
So don't think it is impossible to build that home ( no plans or expensive royalty to pay or fancy architect fees) Just start on Monday and get after it..

LRF
First of all: Do you have any basis for making accusations that the Eames foundation is going to sell the house? You really need to do some research before you make reckless statements like that. This is a highly regarded forum and you do it a great disservice by making uninformed allegations.
Secondly: Your only seeming "fact" for beginning this thread is that an acquaintance told you secondhand that the house was in disrepair. You seem to have disregarded the link that SDR provided to the Eames Foundation - the very thing you were demanding in the first place. The first bullet on the Eames Foundation website states that the house has been declared a national historic landmark - a benefit that will provide the house with federal money for upkeep, as well as expert advice on the restoration of the property.
The second bullet on the Eames Foundation website deals with the foundation calling in a botanical expert to help restore the pine tree between the house and the studio.
These clearly aren't the actions of a family looking to cash in on the property value of their grandparents estate. In fact, in the words of the Eames Foundation:
"The primary goal of the Eames Foundation is to maintain and protect the integrity and authenticity of the Eames House. If you've already visited, you've experienced the miracle of the House. Steel and glass were excellent and resilient material choices. As some of the materials and processes were experimental, however, there are other very real physical considerations needing attention. And we want the House to continue to inspire others for at least the next fifty years!"

lucifersum
No LUCIFERSUM i never said one thing about the eames foundation selling that house!!!!!! that is your own interpertation as you usually make them and always like to recite that this is a highly regarded international forum ..... and love to dog any ones ass that you can to show how smart you think you are..... ..... i stated and once again for your benefit
I was told that the house is not in good shape and needs to be looked after in simple words it looks awful ... this was told to me by one of the the most reliable sources in the US in architecture and art who could write a check to fix the property up with one days wages .... and has done that on several occasions ,
For a US Icon of modern homes and of a famous couple this place looks bad !!!!!!!
Koen stated Herman miller should help , said it is the family who benifts from the Royalty they should pay to fix up .... did you dog him???? some else said how much to make
another one just like it . I stated
the dirt alone was worth around 15 million cause of the location the house less than a million cause of where it is and the condition
Now Lucifer ...... i said if they don't want to fix it up maybe they have a reason ? my own interperation not the Eames Foundation ... if you don't like what i say to damn bad !!!! I am intitled to my opion just like Koen, Dc Wilson, SDR, Glassart . go dog them about something they say and get off my ass!!!!! i stand by my commets as
my own!!!!!

more for the Lucifersum
the house has been declared a national historic landmark - a benefit that will provide the house with federal money for upkeep, as well as expert advice on the restoration of the property.
Then with any should be turned over to the national park service and let them keep it up so it will be well proserved for ever. I also stated for Lucifer benefit that the family of William Randolf Hurst did this to his home and was still able to use it.

Yes, you did.
LFR - you insinuated in your post that the Eames were letting the house go to sell it for profit. You did so without regard to information presented in the thread that clearly states otherwise. If thats your opinion then I say its ill informed.
To further the actual thread: the designation of a National Historic Landmark doesn't mean that the house will be taken over by the government, or that the surviving Eames cannot change or occupy the house. It serves as a recognition that the house is of "exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States." to quote the NHL website. It also provides some of the funds needed to restore the property, and to advance further projects undertaken by the Eames Foundation.

lucifersum
he Eames have a very confortable home for a round 15 million... no wonder they don't want to do a damn thing with it to fix it up , they proberly hope that us nosey people will go a way and they can quiety sell the place for 20 million to some developer who will build 6 homes and come out very nicely .
looks like this was my opion... If they never fixed the place up what would you thing the owners were doing with it???? ...
How come it took so long the Eames have been gone for 30 years and 20 years How come they did not fix the place up already ? They know many people have had a interest in Charles and Ray Eames for many years . This thing with the National Historical trust just happened.