Welcome

This is the blog of Nikolas Xie, ARC 308 student, unique number 00570. I have complied the blog to list every per-requisite listed in the Scavenger Hunt in order of how it is listed on the assignment instructions to ensure every item is clearly listed and not lost. I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I enjoyed researching and learning about this awesome and fascinating house!

Uncovering the Basic Facts

The Eames House

Location: Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, CA

Architect: Charles Eames and Alexandra "Ray" Eames

Date of Construction: Designed in 1945. Completed in 1949

Number of Buildings on Site: 2. The first building is the Eames House, which is where the occupants were meant to live. The second building is the Eames House Studio, where the occupants were meant to work.

Number of Floors: 2. Both buildings had two floors.

Source: eamesfoundation.org

Identifying the Purpose, Program, and Users

The Eames House originated from architecture magazine publisher John Entenza's building program: the Case Study House Program. This program involved architects from all over the United States designing and building modern, American homes for hypothetical or real clients using "materials and techniques derived from the experiences of the Second World War," thus the house's program is residential.

The purpose of the homes were to express a certain lifestyle and aesthetic that reflected their client's profile; in the instance of the Eames House, it was designed for a professional husband and wife duo who specialized in graphic arts and design. The Eames House specifically called for two separate buildings where the occupants could live and work. Both structures would be built out of steel and glass, and would incorporate the natural environment around the house instead of destroying it to make room. Though the Eames' initial profile for the home reflected a made-up couple, this fictional profile actually fit the Eames themselves, and so they ended up moving into the house due to their attachment to the house and its meadow environment during the years of its construction.

Source: eamesfoundation.org

Eames House Exteriors

Eames House Exterior

 The exterior of the Eames House showcases its box shape and many windows. The house boasts an impressive awning at its entrance, and the many windows allow for natural light to easily illuminate the house. The house is situated in a suburban neighborhood, but the house itself is somewhat isolated by a forest that the Eames tried their best to preserve during construction. Though it can not be seen from this angle, the house is on a cliff that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Both the main house and the studio are built out of predominantly steel and glass.

Eames House Studio Back Entrance

The Eames House Studio is a separate building where inhabitants could work projects. After the Eames moved in they utilized this space as their own personal studio. The studio's design and scale is very similar to the main house, albeit the studio is slightly smaller regarding length. The studio is separated from the main house via a small courtyard.

Sources: archdaily.com & eamesfoundation.org

Architectural Drawings of the Eames House

Section of the Eames House (top). Blueprint Layout of the Eames House and the Eames House Studio (bottom)

Rough sketch of the Eames House and the Eames House Studio

My Drawing of the Eames House

My interpretation of the Eames House involves a side profile of both the house itself and the studio. I tried to capture the unique steel patterns and glass windows that adorn the side of the buildings. The disproportionate color scheme and slightly-asymmetrical designs are reminiscent of Piet Mondrian's painting Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow.

Profile of the Eames House Residence

Piet Mondrian's Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow (for reference)

Eames House Interior

Eames House Living Room

The room portrayed is the living room for the Eames House Residence. The living room is the first room that visitors would walk into when entering the house. Interesting note: the chair on the left is the patented "Eames Chair," which was also designed by Charles and Ray Eames.