Eames Molded Plywood Chair

from Herman Miller

Designers Charles and Ray Eames established their long and legendary relationship with Herman Miller in 1946 with their boldly original molded plywood chairs. The aesthetic integrity, enduring charm, and comfort of the chairs earned them recognition from Time magazine as The Best Design of the 20th Century. Time called the design “something elegant, light and comfortable. Much copied but never bettered.” (A locomotive came in second.) In their search for a better way, Charles and Ray Eames developed an innovative technique for molding plywood. The process allowed them to bend wood in new directions and give hard materials a soft look. The contours the molding process creates out of plywood fit the body’s shape. The plywood has five plies, with hardwood inner plies. Natural rubber shock mounts absorb movement.