The Eames House, or Case Study House no. 8

I am sticking around the Pacific Palisades to talk about another one of my favorite places in Los Angeles–The Eames House and Foundation. But first a film.

I hope this video gave you some context about why the Eames House is such an important part of Los Angeles’ cultural landscape. I love taking my friends here who love architecture and Mid-Century design. The Eames house is a marvel in making do with what you have and testing the limits of what an object can do.

The Case Study House Program

The Case Study House program, which the Eames House is part of, was ahead of its time in many ways. The idea came from a group of editors at Art and Architecture Magazine who posed a question to architects on how to produce homes cheaply and quickly. The program coincided with a projected population boom in the Western states after the end of WWII. One of the criteria was using materials that were readily available during the war. Think of the 3 Rs-Recycle/Reuse/Restore before it was cool.

The Case Study question was brought to several architects and designers that now read like a who’s who of the Mid-Century aesthetic: Richard Neutra, Eero Saarinen, Pierre Koenig, and Craig Ellwood, to name a few. In all, thirty-six houses were designed. Many of these were never built or were demolished before they could be protected. Luckily, two of these homes are on tour to the public in Los Angeles. Case Study House no. 22, or the Stahl House, and Case Study no. 8, built by Charles and Ray Eames.

The name Eames may not be familiar to you, but I assure you that you have seen their work copied again and again by places like Design Within Reach and West Elm. In addition to being architects of Case Study House No. 8, this husband and wife team designed all the furniture and textile pieces featured in the home. All the Eames designs are both aesthetic and functional.

The Eames’ home

What you notice about Case Study No. 8, which ended up being the Eames’ home, is that the house is separated into two buildings made from sections of shipping containers. A working space that served as their design studio and another larger space which I will talk about more in-depth in a second. The walkway between the two buildings is a green space meant to leave the worries of work at work.

The Eames were purveyors of the guest/host relationship. The home was designed so that it has a natural flow and puts guests first in the kitchen, then to the dining room, and ending the evening in the living room. After dinner, they can sip their after-dinner drinks with a spectacular view of the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean. This house was definitely planned with dinner parties in mind. The floor-to-ceiling windows really showcase the nature surrounding the property. The meadow outside is lined with milkweed that attracts Monarch butterflies that flit around the property. Tall eucalyptus trees with peeling bark reveal new colors and smell sweet on the air. Looming in the distance is the outline of Catalina Island.

Hours, cost, and information

Case Study No. 8 is now run by The Eames House Foundation who offers tours of the home and grounds.

• Website: http://eamesfoundation.org
• Location: 203 Chautauqua Boulevard, Pacific Palisades
• When: By appointment, closed on Wednesdays and Sundays
• Cost: As of this update, 4/6/23, they are only offering guided exterior tours at $30 per person. Check the website for all costs and to make an appointment
• Ages: All are welcome on the exterior tour. People under 15 years of age are not allowed on an interior tour

[Getting there: Driving: Just an FYI that although the directions to the place are good, please note that this area straddles two cities–one side of the street is Vance while the other is Corona Del Mar, a helpful hint since there is no place to turn around once you have missed the street. By Public Transit: Los Angeles Metro bus 602.]

Missed my first favorite place; check out Monday’s post.

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