Organic Design

Charles and Ray Eames 

Charles Eames (1907-1978) and Ray Eames (1912-1988) gave the world an easier and comfortable life style for architecture, furniture and textile designs. They met while they were studying the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfields Hills. They married in 1941. They started to focus on creating multifunctional modern designs Charles Eames started to work with Eero Saarinen on wood furniture design and they won the Museum of Modern Art´s 1940 ´Organic Design in Home furnishing` competition. There designes were based on molden plywood chairs. They had convinced the people that they were functional, affordable and they could be mass produced and even had a modern look even nowadays      when some one sees them the first time they think that they are made at this time. They moved to Los Angeles in 1941, Charles started working in the movie industry, while Ray was creating cover designs for the influential journal, (California Art and Architecture). Charles and Ray continued to experiment with plywood and they need special machines to mould the plywood. They even had a contract with the U.S Navy to develop a lightweight mass produced moulded plywood leg splints for injured soldiers. They even started applying the methods to domestic furniture. After many prototypes and testing he had the first chair with the seat and back support gently curved for comfort and even ergonomically. It was being manufactured by the Herman Miller Company and it is known as ECW ( Eames chair wood ). This Chair is still in production today and it left a great impact on America. Charles and Ray Eames continued to expand there product line by designing new plywood dinning chairs, tables and storage units. 

Charles and Ray Eames manufactured by Herman Miller Furniture Company - Children’s Chair)

Charles and Ray Eames manufactured by Evans Products for U.S Navy - Leg Splint 1942 

Although he was experimented with moulded plywood he still made other designs with other material example the Wire Side Chair 1951.

Charles and Ray Eames manufactured by Herman Miller Furniture Company - Wire Side Chair 1951

Charles Eames - DCW side chair 1946 

Charles and Ray Eames - Eames Lounge Chair

They left a good idea when although using cheap material its still going to be a good product if it has a good design.

The Development through other artist and designers.

 Kurven Chair by Cody Stonerock 

This student was inspired by the Eames Chair but by further development he made a more eye pleasing chair.

Tom Vaughan Ribbon Chair

Alvar Alto

Alvar Alto (1898-1976) is a pioneer of the Architecture, he was qualified as an architect from Helsinki Institute of Technology it is now part of the Aalto University. Alvar Aalto made  his first architect practice in Jyväskylä. His works were inspired from Nordic Classicism, the predominant style at that time. Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino Marsion, which she was also an architect, traveled to Europe so they could see the latest trends in Modernism, th International style (Organic Style). 

Alvar wanted to adopt the the principles of user- friendly, functional designs in his architecture. In the late 1930´s Alvar Aalto began using Organic forms, natural materials and increasing freedom of handling of space.

In the 1950´s he started to work on public buildings such as Saynatsalo Town Hall (1948-1952) the University of Jyväskylä (1951-1957). Seinajoki city centre (1956-1956/86). Rovaniemi city (1963-1976/88) and Jyväskylä administrative and cultural centre (1970-1982).

He said that every building that he had design was a work of Art.

Aalto Vase Savoy

Alvar Aalto stackable stools 

Paimio Sanatorium 

Seinajoki city centre 

Rovaniemi Library 

Referencing : 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2000. Charles Eames (1907–78) and Ray Eames (1912–88). [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/eame/hd_eame.htm. [Accessed 29 December 13].

Berkshire Fine Arts. 2006. The Eames Iconic Plywood Splint. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.berkshirefinearts.com/12-10-2011_the-eames-iconic-plywood-leg-splint.htm. [Accessed 29 December 13].

Celine.G. 2012. Improvised life. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.improvisedlife.com/2012/04/30/found-frostaalvar-aalto-stool-knock-off/. [Accessed 29 December 13].

Alvar Aalto Museum. 2011. alvar aalto pioneer of modern architecture and design. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.alvaraalto.fi/aalto_architect_designer.htm. [Accessed 29 December 13].

MIMOA. 2012. Mimoa mi modern architecture . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.mimoa.eu/projects/Finland/Rovaniemi/Rovaniemi%20Library. [Accessed 29 December 13].

Cody Stonerock. 2010. Archi Expo. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.contemporist.com/2010/03/26/the-kurven-chair-by-cody-stonerock/. [Accessed 29 December 13].