The great influence of Charles and Ray Eames on the culture of the 20th century goes far beyond the fields of design and architecture. They focused throughout their working lives on the basic human needs for living space, comfort and education. Especially in the form of furniture such as their famous Lounge Chair and the Aluminium Chair, the two architects-cum-designers made a decisive contribution to modernizing life in the United States after World War II, creating milestones in design history.

By means of countless exhibits (original objects, models, photographs, documents and films), the show "The Work of Charles & Ray Eames" highlights the broad range and complexity of the Eames' oeuvre - from a simple chair via architecture and graphic design, through to complex issues of human perception and communication. Alongside the couple's biography, the exhibition also acquaints viewers with the issues and challenges of relevance to the work of Charles and Ray Eames - in the form of thematic groups on Furniture, Space, Aesthetics, Culture, and Science.

Symbiosis of aesthetics, quality and economics

From the 1940s to the late 1970s, the Eames, based in Los Angeles, were active as a virtuoso team in constantly new areas of design. Whatever they created, be it furniture, toys, houses, films, graphic design, exhibitions of books - the objective was to improve society not just functionally, but also in cultural, intellectual and aesthetic terms. The examples of Eames' furniture on show, most of which stem from the Vitra Design Museum collection, are paramount examples of this symbiosis of aesthetics, quality, and economics which Charles and Ray Eames attempted to achieve in all their products. On behalf of the Herman Miller Furniture Company, the Eames devised both their first furniture items made of 3D bent plywood, such as the "DCW" (Dining Chair Wood) or the "LCW" (Lounge Chair Wood), both made in, but also the first armchairs with plastic shells such as the "DSS" series (Dining Stacking Chair with S-Shell) of 1954. In 1956, the first armchair with an upholstered shell arose - one of the Eames' most renowned objects: the Lounge Chair. All these designs have in common an experimental approach to the materials as well as a variety of combinations and possible uses. The Eames also devised corresponding marketing concepts for these items of furniture. Photos and illustrations helped explain the techniques, the industrial manufacturing processes involved, and the many possible applications.

New forms of living by using standard items

As architects, Charles and Ray Eames also developed new forms of living for the 20th century. In line with the popular and commercially successful design products manufactured in series, they made standard items to enable houses to be built that did not require immense financial and material inputs. An example is Case Study House No. 8, the Eames' private residence in Los Angeles, made of steel and glass, highly sparing, flexible, and effective - an influential model for industrial architecture and a modern living space prototypical for post-War America - where industrially manufactured products were supplemented by handicrafts and objects of art.

The exhibition "The Work of Charles & Ray Eames" has been organized by the Library of Congress, Washington D.C. and Vitra Design Museum. The concept was devised by Donald Albrecht and Hodgetts + Fung Design Associates, in association with the organizers. The show will be accompanied by a 206-page German/English catalogue featuring essays by renowned experts.