UNIVERSAL BASE TABLES

DATE - 1968

In 1968, as part of developing the Eames Intermediate Chair to production, Charles and Ray Eames designed an entirely new contract base, known as the Eames Universal Base. It has the same structure as the earlier Eames Contract Base, but instead of the flat planes and sharp-angled edges of the contract base blades, the Universal blades around tubular shaped, and the hard angles between the blades and the stem have been softened into curved forms. In addition, the ends of each blade curve down into its feet, which are each shaped to be thicker at the bottom than at the top, to make them stable. Given Charles and Ray’s propensity to think of everything that would be meaningful to those who would use their designs, it’s easy to see why they evolved the form of their table base.

Additional Information

The same form, in different sizes, was used as a base for small tables, and for chairs, and a larger one for larger Eames tabletops. The universal nature of this base was reflected in practice. As soon as it was introduced, the Eames Office specified this base for their lobby chairs, the Eames aluminum group, the Eames soft pad groups, and the shell chairs, making it a “universal’ all-purpose base. This meant an economy of scale for the makers of Eames furniture, and it’s one of many reasons that when you buy an Eames chair, you are getting your money’s worth. Eames furniture would be much more expensive, if it weren’t for such careful design planning.

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