Eames Plastic Chairs

Eames Plastic Chairs from Vitra

The Eames Plastic Chairs from Vitra are the epitome of practical yet elegant furniture design. Realised in the middle of the 20th century by Charles and Ray Eames, the Eames Plastic Chairs have had an enduring impact on the furniture world and rank amongst the most famous examples of mid-century design. The curved seat shells crafted from robust polypropylene express themselves in a variety of colour and frame variants that help make the Eames Plastic Chairs true all-rounders - whether at the dining table, at work or in public spaces, the seating combines comfort with a distinctive aesthetic and sets an accent in contemporary living spaces.

► Eames Plastic Chairs: the most important Vitra bases and seat shells
► An Eames Plastic Chair for every room and situation
► The story of a revolutionary chair design
► Vitra Eames Plastic Chairs: Sustainable and Timeless

Inviting dining seating in red and grey tones

Eames Plastic Chairs: the most important Vitra bases and seat shells

Ray and Charles Eames developed a simple but ingenious modular concept for their Plastic Chairs, a system in which different bases can be combined with a side chair seat shell, the so-called S-shell, or an armchair seat shell, the so-called A-shell. And a modular concept that enabled a collection of Eames Plastic Armchairs and Eames Plastic Side Chairs that can be used in dining rooms, restaurants, offices and lounges. The most important bases:

Wood Base: The Eames wood base combines solid wood, usually maple or ash, with metal struts and bequeaths the chairs a warm, natural look that is particularly suitable for living rooms.

Rod Base: A filigree metal frame that is known as the "Eiffel Tower frame" on account of its shape. The metal rods bring a lightness to the design and the base is particularly popular in dining rooms and contemporary office spaces.

Cast Base on Castors: A functional base with a five-armed die-cast aluminium star base on castors. It is designed for work environments and offers high flexibility.

Tube Base: A classic four-legged tubular steel base that offers stability and clean lines. It is versatile and ideal for restaurants or conference rooms.

La Fonda Base: This base was specially designed for the "La Fonda del Sol" restaurant in New York. It consists of a low, elegant four-star base that is characterized by its sleek silhouette and adds a special character to lounge furniture.

Stackable Base: A stackable four-legged tubular steel base designed for space-saving storage. It is ideal for spaces where flexibility and efficiency are required, such as event spaces.

Numerous models of the Eames Plastic Chairs are also suitable for outdoor use

Eames Plastic Chairs: A Nomenclature Guide

The naming of the Eames Plastic Chairs follows a clear system that describes the function, seat shell and base. This nomenclature reflects the modular concept of the chair collection and makes the properties of the individual models easy to understand.

The first letter in the name describes the height or function of the chair: D stands for Dining, R for Rocking and L for Low. The second letter describes the shape of the seat shell: A stands for Armchair, S for Side Chair. The third letter describes the base, e.g. R for Rod, W for Wood, or X for the stackable base X formed base.

Thus, for example: DSR stands for "Dining height Side Chair Rod Base", DSW for "Dining height Side Chair Wood Base". Both models have the same seat shell without armrests, but differ in the base.

This nomenclature is consistently applied to the armchairs: DAW, Dining height Armchair Wood Base, and PACC, Pivot Armchair Cast Base on Castors, demonstrate how function and material can be derived from the name. The letter C here stands for both the cast aluminium and the castors, which were specially developed for work chairs.

The systematic nomenclature of the Eames Chairs makes it easy to understand the wide variety of models and to choose the right chair for every environment. You can find a complete overview here.

Eames Plastic Chairs with Eiffel Tower base: in the foreground on the left the Eames Side Chair DSR, on the right the Eames Armchair DAR

An Eames Plastic Chair for every room and situation

The story of a revolutionary chair design

The Eames Plastic Chairs were developed in the late 1940s as part of a competition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and publicly launched through Herman Miller in the early 1950s. Milestones of contemporary furniture design, their genesis is located in experimentation with materials such as plywood and aluminium, before fibreglass was identified as the ideal material for durable, lightweight, cost-effective seat shells. With the introduction of the A-shell and the S-shell a success story began that not revolutionised furniture design and the furniture industry but continues to influence furniture designers.

Parallel to developing the shells Charles and Ray also designed a series of interchangeable bases, a design and construction concept that enabled models such as DAR (Dining Armchair Rod Base) and DSR (Dining Side Chair Rod Base) with the iconic "Eiffel frame", the rocking chair RAR (Rocking Armchair Rod Base) and the stackable DSX (Dining Side Chair X-Base) from one coherent, self-contained system; a responsive system in which shell and base could be adapted to use and location while maintaining a visual coherence and familiarity.

Following the market launch in the USA, Vitra brought the Eames Plastic Chairs to Europe from 1957. In 1992, production was switched from fibreglass to the more environmentally friendly polypropylene, while retaining the design and functionality. The switch to a novel recycled plastic material occurred in 2024.

The Chair of a Century by Ray & Charles Eames for Vitra

Vitra Eames Plastic Chairs: Sustainable and Timeless

Eames Plastic Chairs perfectly embody the design principle of Charles and Ray Eames: "The best for the most people with minimal effort" and have been available in a novel sustainable plastic material update since 2024.

The designation RE identifies models in this novel material; a novel material which means that some of the previous colours have been replaced with new nuances, and also means that shells in lighter colour shades contain pigment speckles that are almost invisible to the naked eye and show the characteristic material properties.

The recycled material for the Eames Plastic Chairs comes from German households and is collected via the so-called Gelbe Sack, a component of the German refuse collection system primarily comprising plastic packaging material, which is processed into high-quality recycled plastic. Compared to conventional materials this novel material causes fewer climate-damaging emissions and uses less primary energy. The seat shells of the Eames Plastic Chairs can be 100% recycled at the end of their lifespan, which supports the material cycle and minimizes environmental impact.

With this innovative material Vitra is not only setting an example for sustainable design but also for the integration of environmental awareness into aesthetic design.