Molded Plywood Shell with Tape

Ten years after the Eameses first began developing prototypes for a molded plywood chair (introduced to the public in 1946), Charles recalled their objective was to “provide a good piece of equipment for conventional sitting” and “to have it contain some of the best qualities inherent in the mass-production system.” Rather than concern themselves with how people should sit, Charles and Ray chose to work with the way people do sit. They found that comfort depended less on the perfect molding to body shape than on the way bone structure was supported, and if that structure was supported properly, molded plywood could provide a high degree of comfort.

The designers tested a number of configurations, including a ribbon shape and bucket shape, a saddle seat, and a split-back one-piece shell, which is the shape of this prototype. The bottom of this chair shows three attachments for legs, though the final design included four for increased stability.