Eames / Past as Prologue

 Past as Prologue: The Last Decade of Furniture Design by Ray and Charles Eames (1968–1978) explores the final years of Eames furniture. 

A couple weeks ago when I was in San Francisco for the Heath market, I was able to check out the latest exhibition by the  Eames Institute. It's being held at the Transamerica Pyramid Annex Gallery.

In the late 1960s, with the post war housing boom fading, Herman Miller made the decision to turn their focus to office furniture. 

“Only innovate as a last resort,” was an Eames mantra.

Robert Propst's Action Office 2 line of modular panels brought Herman Miller into the corporate cubicle world. This brought along a number of developments to meet the needs of the office workers who would be spending long hours at their desks.

Source: Eames Institute

The Eames Intermediate Chair was released in 1968. It was built off the Aluminum Group and Time Life chairs previously developed.

The EC127 was introduced in 1972 and evolved from the design of the DCM from 1946.
In addition to cushions..."I just want to say one word to you. Just one word... Plastics." The Graduate (1967) 

A 1960s DCM

The Eames EC178 has its roots in the classic fiberglass shell chairs that were developed in the late 1940s.   Considering they were made in the 1970s, they're surprisingly hard to find. I've only had one over the years. They're incredibly comfortable and, if you ask me, kind of a sleeper collecting-wise. 




DSS - Dining, Side, Stacking base. The base came about five years after the initial fiberglass side chair shell was developed.



Eames with Girard fabric





More about the exhibition cam be found at The Eames Institute.