August 15, 2005 -- Eames Demetrios, grandson of famed revolutionary designers Ray and Charles Eames, will talk about his family’s legacy at the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) National Conference at 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 25, 2005 at the Wardman Park Marriott in Washington, D.C.
“ Designers face many new challenges and obstacles in bringing their vision to fruition. ”
Demetrios, director of Santa Monica-based Eames Office, author of An Eames Primer and award-winning documentary director, will discuss the Eameses’ 50-year quest to design innovative, functional and enduring furniture. Sponsored by IDSA’s Furniture Section, Demetrios will provide attendees with a rare glimpse into the minds of America’s most inspiring designers.
“The Eameses’ work has had an enduring influence on furniture design in America,” says Dean Barone, IDSA Furniture Section chair and president of the Houston-based Barone Design Group. “The Eames family has influenced office design since the 1940s and continues to shape the way each of us thinks about furniture.”
Early in their careers together, Charles and Ray Eames identified the need for affordable, high-quality furniture for the average consumer. They were driven to develop furniture that could serve a variety of uses. For 40 years the Eameses experimented with ways to meet this challenge, designing flexibility into their compact storage units and collapsible sofas for the home; seating for stadiums, airports, and schools; and chairs for virtually anywhere.
Recognizing the need, as Charles Eames once said, is the primary condition for design.
Says Barone: “Designers face many new challenges and obstacles in bringing their vision to fruition. The Eameses have an inspiring legacy for today’s IDSA members.”
About Eames Demetrios
Eames Demetrios is an artist, filmmaker and writer based in Los Angeles, CA. He also is the director of the Eames Office, dedicated to communicating, preserving and extending the work of Charles and Ray Eames. In addition, he is a well known advocate for design authenticity and education, consulting for businesses and lecturing frequently on many different topics.
Eames Demetrios has created critically acclaimed award-winning films, videos and interactive media projects. In 1993, Demetrios became the Director of the Eames Office. His first project was the epic development of the Interactive CD-ROM, Powers of Ten. The original film, Powers of Ten, was produced by Charles and Ray Eames in 1977.
A Harvard graduate, Demetrios continues to develop acclaimed documentaries, publish works inspired by the Eames legacy and to promote authentic design.
About IDSA & the National Conference
IDSA is the nonprofit association that represents the profession of industrial design to education, business, government and the public. The 2005 IDSA National Conference will be held August 24-27 in Washington, D.C. Find out more about the Society and the outstanding line-up of presenters at this years’ conference at www.idsa.org.
