901 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA
901 was the Eames Office from 1943 to 1988. Some of the most important designs of the 20th century were conceived and prototyped within these walls. Wartime products to furniture, toys, and films were all made in this nondescript industrial building. I've been by the building more times than I care to admit and have posted about it in the past. However this time, thanks to Gerson and Danny (Modern for All), I had the opportunity to get inside. As an Eames geek and practitioner of Contact Magic, this was a big deal for me.
Architecture critic Reyner Banham said “Visiting architecture freaks tried to make the Eameses’ office in Venice their first port of call, exploiting their good nature to secure introductions before going on to investigate the rest of the scene.”
The building, constructed in 1929, was operating as the Bay Cities Garage for a number of years before Evans Products Molded Plywood Division took the space over in 1943, first for war-related product research and manufacturing. Charles was working for Evans as Director of Research and Development. Gregory Ain, Harry Bertoia and Herbert Matter were also on the team during that time period. Based on the success of the leg splint, they were working on designs for a plywood arm splint and stretcher. Neither went into production.
Image: The Story of Eames Furniture, Marilyn Neuhart with John Neuhart
The contents of Bay Cities were sold to make way for the new tenants.
Source: Evening Vanguard, Venice, California · Saturday, December 19, 1942
The building was mostly used for auto-related businesses, until Evans and the Eames took it over. Witherspoon Motors, a Buick dealership was there in the mid-to-late 1930's. During Prohibition, John Dryden was owner of the garage and in 1932 he was arrested for rum bootlegging after an armed standoff with police.
Image: Evening Vanguard, 1937
Prior to the current structure, in the mid-1920s, Leonard T. Sintzel operated his factory for orange mills in the space. Brooks Garage was a tenant in 1925. Evans' Street Lunch restaurant was at the address for a short time between 1924 and 1925. It was owned by Walter Evans (no relation to Evans Products as far as I have been able to find out). Leon Van Dusen's, Van's Café was there until 1929. At that point the current brick building was constructed.
Image: Evening Vanguard, 1926
In 1943 Ray and Charles utilized the front of 901, with Evans operating in the rear. The Eames started a relationship with Herman Miller in 1946 and by 1947 Evans moved production to Michigan. The Eames stayed at 901. Shortly after that, Herman Miller moved into 901 with them. The agreement above outlines how the operation was structured.
Since Arts & Architecture owner and Eames business partner, John Entenza, is one of the signers here, this is a good time to point out that the typeface used on on this 901 document and street number on the building (painted by Ray) was based on an Alvin Lustig design (according to longtime Eames Office employees, the Neuhrts).
Image: The Story of Eames Furniture, Marilyn Neuhart with John Neuhart
In 1942 Lustig was hired by Entenza as the art director for California Arts & Architecture. He subsequently redesigned the magazine's graphics, including the magazine's new logo. Here is the May 1943 issue with the logo and Ray's cover design.
Source: Eames Office
Herman Miller took over manufacturing and distribution of Eames furniture in 1949. The Eames Office was using the front portion of the building, with Herman Miller manufacturing happening in the back.
Image: Herman Miller - A Way of Living, by Amy Auscherman, Sam Grawe, Leon Ransmeier
The Eames Office was an active space that was in constant flux to meet the projects at hand. This 1959 photos shows them working on the film, Glimpses of the U.S.A. It was created for the American National Exhibition in Moscow.
Image: Eames Office
By 1959, Herman Miller moved out of the building for much larger facilities to meet the demand for Eames furniture.
Image: The Story of Eames Furniture, Marilyn Neuhart with John Neuhart
It wasn't until 1976 that Charles and Ray bought 901. This photo is from that year. Charles died just two years later.
In the Neuhart book there's a funny story about the building owner being nervous about the Eames, who he called the "artists types" being able to pay the rent. He secretly called over to Herman Miller with his concern and Dupree guaranteed that the rent would be paid.
Image: The Story of Eames Furniture, Marilyn Neuhart with John Neuhart
This scale model, constructed on a one-quarter inch to one-foot scale, is a replica of the Eames Office at the time of Charles Eames death in August of 1978. Constructed by longtime Eames Office employees, the Neuharts.
Image: Wright
This is how the space was being used in 1978.
Source: The Story of Eames Furniture, Marilyn Neuhart with John Neuhart
Image: Eames Office
Ray was cataloging the contents of the Eames Office up until her passing in 1988, ten years to the day from when Charles died. 901 needed to be emptied and all the interior walls demolished to retrofit for earthquake standards.
Per Ray's instructions, the building was sold upon her death. The collection went to several institutions, including the Library of Congress, Vitra, museums like the Henry Ford and the Eames family. Much of what the Eames family kept is now part of the Eames Institute.
Here is the front portion of the space after everything was removed and before work on the retrofitting began. Eames Demetrios did a film, 901: After 45 Years of Working documenting the closing of 901.
Image: Eames Office
Here is that corner today.
In 1990, 901 took on a new life as the offices of Bright & Associates, a design firm led by Keith Bright. Architect Frank Israel designed the space.
When I was visiting the space last weekend, Gerson and I were discussing the history of the building. Gerson is leading some work that is being done on it. I mentioned the Bright & Associates Design firm and he had an aha moment. It turns out his mom worked for Keith Bright.
“I felt the Eames studio would be a great place to work in,” said Keith Bright, president of Bright & Associates. “The warehouses, though humble, have a powerful aura for any designer.” (LA Times, 1990)
Also in 1990, the street name was changed from Washington Blvd to Abbot Kinney, in honor the developer who founded Venice in the early 1900s. However, the side of the building seen in all the photographs and the entrance to the Eames Office, is actually fronts Brooks Ave. I wonder if anyone has ever tried to get the name of the street changed to Eames Ave?
Image: Progressive Architecture, 1990
The radically redesigned Eames studio’s sophisticated new ambience is poles apart from the atmosphere that ruled in the old days, says noted graphic designer Deborah Sussman, who worked at 901 for years, off and on, between 1953 and ’66. “In Charles’ and Ray’s era, the studio itself was never consciously designed,” she says. “It was a workshop, pure and simple. How it looked was simply a byproduct of the Eameses’ creative energy and style.”
Keith Bright and Deborah Sussman both worked on design for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I feel an affinity for the Eameses in their admiration of the raw elements of the technology of construction,” Israel explains, “and I’ve tried to express that in the re-creation of their old studio, reinterpreted in a contemporary idiom.” - Frank Israel
Source: LA Times, April 16, 1990
Israel focused on creating an interior streetscape in what was basically a clean slate.
This inverted plywood cone was used a conference room.
Image: Bob Markovich
It's one of the few Israel designs that are still there. Although the plywood has been painted.
Image: Bob Markovich
Image: Bob Markovich
Israel left views of the beams as they were one of the few fixed elements remaining from the building's time as the Eames Office since all the interior walls were removed for earthquake retrofitting.
Image: Bob Markovich
The beams are still visible today.
Image: Franklin D. Israel : buildings ₊ projects, Hines, Thomas S
The post-modern exterior elements were added to by Israel as a means of branding the buildings as a place Bright & Associates could call their own.
Image: Bob Markovich
As seen in the Eames House.
Source: Eames Office
I think they were great and love that 901. Sadly, they have all been removed.
Image: Bob Markovich
Charles had portions of the exterior painted white so the reflections of the surrounding trees, telephone poles, and airplanes would create portraits, appropriate visual statements of urban life. Frank Isreal kept it that way.
Image: Bob Markovich
Also, the 901 in the Arts & Architecture typeface is nowhere to be seen. Hopefully someone will bring it back someday.
The building was still white, with 901 and the steel Israel element were all still there in 2008. By 2011 they were gone.
Israel door today.
A survivor from Bay Cities days.
Much like its time before the Eames Office, 901 has been used by a revolving door of users after Bright & Associates. A recent lease ad states, "Historic office home of legendary architect designers Charles & Ray Eames. Prior Tenants have included some of the biggest names in Tech: Microsoft, Snapchat, Facebook, and Gunderson Dettmer."
This small plaque, hidden in the private parking behind the building, is the only thing commemorating the Eames legacy at 901.
I found a piece of brick on the ground for my rock collection.