Image source: Vitra — Aluminium Group
© Vitra and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research.
Collection Story
Origin
Vitra's Eames Aluminium Group is credited to Charles & Ray Eames and dated 1958. The story page of the Vitra "original" series traces it to a request from Alexander Girard, who in 1957 told Charles Eames that the terraces of the Miller House in Columbus, Indiana had no suitable outdoor furniture; Charles and Ray Eames then worked with Herman Miller on a range of chairs to fill the gap. Vitra introduced the range on the European market in 1959, and says it was briefly marketed as the Leisure Group or Indoor-Outdoor Group.
Design Language
Because the chairs were meant for indoors and outdoors, the Eameses chose aluminium for being water-resistant, light and castable into free-form shapes. The idea that followed was a textile membrane held between two curved aluminium side members, forming a sling-style seat. Vitra offers polished, chrome-plated or powder-coated bases, and describes today's assembly as virtually the process the Eames Office developed.
Image source: Vitra — Aluminium Group · © Vitra and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research. · View official website ↗ · Image use & copyright policy
Key Pieces
- Aluminium Chairs EA 101/103/104 – Dine
- Aluminium Chairs EA 105/107/108 – Conference
- Aluminium Chairs EA 117/118/119 – Work
- Aluminium Chair EA 124 – Lounge
- Aluminium Chair EA 125 – Lounge
- Aluminium Chairs EA 131/132 – Home Office
Pieces in this collection
Aluminium Chair EA 117
Medium-backrest swivel task chair of the Eames Aluminium Group, with tilt adjusted to body weight
Aluminium Chair EA 124
Eames lounge chair with an extra-high backrest, head cushion and weight-adjusting tilt, 1958.
Aluminium Chair EA 131/132
Eames chairs without castors for the home office, with a tilt lock and gas-spring height, 1958.
Aluminium Chair EA 125
Eames stool for the EA 124 lounge chair, non-swivel with a four-star aluminium base, 1958.
Aluminium Chair EA 105/107/108
Eames meeting-room chairs with a sling seat, fixed or swivel, with or without armrests, 1958.
Aluminium Chair EA 101/103/104
Eames dining chairs in three versions: fixed or swivel base, with or without armrests, 1958.
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