Designing with Anticipation:
Eames and The Guest Host Relationship

Among the friends to take part in the tea cermony hosted by the Eameses were sculptor Isamu Noguchi (far left) and actor Charlie Chaplin (fifth from the left).

Charles and Ray Eames felt, “The role of the designer is that of a very good, thoughtful host, all of whose energy goes into trying to anticipate the needs of his guests.” When those needs were not met, the Eameses, as hosts, created a solution.

In 1950, Charles and Ray invited friends, including actor Charlie Chaplin and sculptor Isamu Noguchi, to their Pacific Palisades home for a bit of Japanese culture in California—a traditional tea ceremony. For each guest, the Eames created a small wire table. Just 10 inches tall, the table provided an individualized setting for each guest as they kneeled together for an ancient Japanese custom.

That tiny table is the Eames wire based table, or LTR, a design that is still anticipating needs of guests today.

To learn more about the Eames’ philosophy designing for needs, visit Eames Designs: The Guest Host Relationship. The exhibit is presented by Architecture and Design Museum, Los Angeles and opens October 1, 2011.