When I was a young’n, I became interested in Eames furniture, like so many young people do. This led me to mid century furniture, which led me to the whole of furniture, which led me to the whole of design. It’s a gateway drug, Eames furniture.
It just seemed so perfect, everything was molded plywood and shell chairs. I learned more about why the furniture was made that way, and it made me love it even more. I was just so impressed that things could solve problems and be comfortable and also be really freaking pretty at the same time. It was so great! Guys! It’s…like…design.
I trundled on for years and found out about a lot of other designers, explored the world of design a little bit, everything was happy. It was great. I was happy. Until I saw this.
It’s an Eames Executive Chair. Yeah. Just take it in for a second.
What’s happening here? It has the base of the Aluminum Group Chairs, with the cushioning of the Eames Lounge, and it’s an office chair. The function is exactly the same as that of the Aluminum Group. Logic would say “Hey, we have the Aluminum Group. That’s an office chair. We are so good on office chairs. Let’s make something else.” but they made this. The lounge chair? It’s a really good chair. But what makes that chair so good isn’t the cushions, it’s the interactions between the cushions and the wood, it’s not any one part, but it’s about how they all come together into the whole.
Lesson Learned. Parts of a good whole cannot just mash together to make infinite good wholes.