Today was the first day of the ARQU-4213 class; a course focused on 19th, 20th, and early 21st century architecture, as well as the social, cultural and political aspects that influenced design as we know it in the present.
Being aware that past design periods have proven to be essential for their subsequent movements, I'm pretty excited to further learn about Modernism. While I do have an affinity for Post-Modernism, particularly designs belonging to the Memphis movement, none of this would have been slightly possible without Bauhaus minimalism, its bold geometries and its focus on technology.
So, for the first session, all students were prompted to choose both a design book and a known modernist residence, among them Mies Van Der Rohe's Farnsworth House, Niemeyer's Casa Das Canoas and Le Corbusier's Maison Curutchet. However, I decided to choose Charles and Ray Eames' Eames House, located in Los Angeles.
About a year ago, and for my design class, I was presented the documentary Eames: The Architect & The Painter, which caught my attention, not just because of the pair's work in architectural design, but their impact in visual art in general. This artistic process of working in different fields is something that speaks to me as both an architecture student and musician, because part of being a creator is finding inspiration in as many different places as possible. On the other hand, and aesthetically, I'm drawn to the Eames House, and the pair's work in general, because of its boldness in color and form.
Located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood in Los Angeles, the Eames House, also known as Case Study House 8 as part of the Case Study House Program, was both built and constructed by the Eames couple, who lived in the house for over 30 years. Their design mindset was oriented towards constant iteration and exploration, evidenced in the residence's evolving interior decoration through the years. Additionally, Charles and Ray had, as a goal, to be honest with the house's materiality; in other words, to represent materials used in their purest forms, and making clear each material's function to visitors. Unlike most architectural projects, which are forced upon a location, the pair's home was placed gracefully on the site; in this way respecting, while establishing a further connection, with its surrounding nature.
The Eames House generally consists of two volumes: one being the residential area, and the other one being the studio. The interior of the home consists of reinforced concrete, a steel roof decking system, and a variety of plywoods, while the entire exterior of the home is supported by a pre-fabricated steel grid forming a curtain wall with varying panels. It's precisely the level of transparency of the facade's glass panels that denote private or public areas. Among the curtain wall lies one of the house's most characteristic features: a series of brightly colored Cemesto panels, very much resembling Piet Mondrian's gridded paintings.
References:
Cook, W. (2017, December 18). Charles and Ray Eames: The couple who shaped the way we live. Retrieved September 8, 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20171218-charles-and-ray-eames-the-couple-who-shaped-the-way-we-live
Eames Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved September 8, 2020, from https://eamesfoundation.org/house/eames-house/
Perez, A. (2010, June 28). AD Classics: Eames House / Charles and Ray Eames. Retrieved September 7, 2020, from https://www.archdaily.com/66302/ad-classics-eames-house-charles-and-ray-eames
Cohn, J., & Jersey, B. (Directors). (2011). Eames: The Architect and the Painter [Video file]. Australia, South Melbourne, Vic, Australia: Madman Cinema, Contemporary Arts Media (distributor).
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