Charles and Ray Eames

toys

The Eameses also often turned their attention to the creation of children’s playthings. In 1951 they created a colorful system of triangular building blocks, which they called The Toy. It was commercially produced for several seasons. The Eameses’ most successful undertaking along these lines was their House of Cards, which used slotted playing cards. Between 1952 and 1970, four versions of House of Cards were produced.
 
 

The Eameses were in the habit of photographing anything they found interesting: 

shells, stones, feathers, ornaments, examples of typography. 

They used such photographs for the cards of House of Cards. When the cards are put together, the images combine in a random way, not unlike the way in which computers process information. It is no accident that the last version of House of Cards was made in 1970 for the IBM pavilion at the World’s Fair in Osaka.
 
 

House of Cards
Photo courtesy of Wright Auctions

House of Cards

House of Cards

storage

A series of storage units designed by Charles Eames

The Eameses’ marvellous storage system, the ESU (Eames Storage Unit), uses the connection principles of a children’s construction set, consisting of easily combined vertical and horizontal elements. The parts come in many different finishes and colors. 

Storage units
Photos courtesy of Vitra

Storage unit
Photo by 
Marc Eggimann 
© Vitra

1950

78

s

later years

While the Eameses are usually thought of as furniture designers, the Eameses largely focused their efforts after the 1950s on film production, exhibit planning, book production and lecturing.

The Eameses’ short, experimental films are hard to pin down. Several (for instance, their most famous film, Powers of Ten, 1977) are regarded as science fiction. In others, where nothing really happens, the camera merely steadily looks on as spinning tops of various shapes rotate (Tops 1969) or as toy trains make their rounds (Toccata for Toy Trains, 1957). This intent and joyful watching of things is akin to what children do as they discover the world. After making Toccata for Toy Trains, the Eameses actually built a toy railway — a popular attraction for kids in Griffith Park, Los Angeles.