Charles and Ray Eames are among the most important American designers of this century. They are best known for their contributions to architecture, furniture design, industrial and manufacturing design and photographic arts.
Charles Eames was born in 1907 in St. Louis, Missouri. While at school he developed an interest in engineering and architecture. In 1930, he started his own achitectural office and later received a fellowship to Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, where he became head of design department. Here he met Ray Kaiser who assisted him and Eero Saarien in preparing designs for Museum of Modern Arts' 'Organic Furniture Competition'. Their designs, created by molding plywood into complex curves won them the two first prizes.
Charles and Ray got married and continued their furniture design work with molding plywood. Their molded plywood chair was called 'the chair of the century'. The use of new materials and technologies, transformed the way Americans furnished their homes, introducing functional, affordable, and often highly sculptural objects and furnishings to many middle-class Americans.
To find out more, visit: www.eamesoffice.com
Phillippe Strack was born in Paris in 1949 and at a very early age he showed interest in design; most probably influenced by his father, who was an aircraft designer.
Not only is he the best-known contemporary designer in the world, but he's also an accomplished architect and product designer. His work can be found in many European and American museums, including the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and the Museum of Design in London.
Here in Liberties we have the designers' best selling 'ghost chair' for sale. In general, the seat has sold 1.5 million pieces since 2002, making it the most widely purchased 'orginial design' chair in the world!
To find out more about Phillippe and his designs, visit: www.starck.com
Anna Castelli Ferrieri is a well known italian architect and industrial designer. She studied architecture at Milan Polytechnic and in 1949 her husband Giulio founded Kartell; a furniture company known for its high quality plastic designs. Since then they were involved in many projects, experimenting with different types of plastic to produce innovative and funtional pieces of art.
To find out more about her work, visit: www.kartellstorela.com
Achille Castiglioni was born in Milan in 1918. From his early 20's, himself and his brother had a huge interest in urban planning, architecture and design; they constantly performed analysis and research on new forms, techniques and materials.
In 1944 he graduated in Architecture, and for many years he thought Industrial Design at various universities until 1993.
He earned international recognitions for his innovative contributions in the fields of lighting fixtures and furniture.
To find out more, visit: www.achillecastiglioni.it
Eero Saarinen was a son of a world famous architect and Cranbrook Academy of Art Director Eliel Saarinen and a textile artist Loja Saarinen.
He was involved in designing furniture and fixtures for the Cranbook campus from an early age, and it was no surprise that he went to study sculpture in Paris and later on architecture in Yale University.
In the 1940's he was asked to join company Knoll and over the next 15 years he designed many of the most recognizable Knoll pieces including the Tulip chairs and tables which are for sale here in Liberties.
For more information visit: www.knoll.com
