Introducing the Eames Radio

Sep 17, 2018

When visionary designers Charles and Ray Eames conceived the design for their elegant table radio in 1946, they could never have imagined that it would be a further 72 years before it would go into production. The compact form factor and stripped-back, more technical aesthetic proved to be too radical for the times, and the design never progressed beyond the prototype stage.

"Charles and Ray Eames are among the most important American designers of the 20th century"

 

Charles and Ray Eames are among the most important American designers of the 20th century, a married couple, they made significant historical contributions in the fields of architecture, furniture, industrial and graphic design. Among their most famous designs is the iconic Eames Chair and Ottoman, designed in 1956 and still produced today by Swiss furniture manufacturer Vitra, holder of the European and Middle East rights to the Eames design archive.

 

 

When in the summer of 2016 the Eames Office and Vitra made the decision to put the ‘lost’ Eames table radio design into production, they approached Revo. Never having worked with electronics before, never mind producing an audio device, Vitra sought a partner that in their words was “driven by function and quality”. They also needed someone that could deliver the necessary digital technology and acoustic credentials to give the Eames radio its voice. During the search for a suitable collaborator, the team at Vitra purchased the Monocle 24 edition of Revo’s SuperConnect radio, a move that convinced them that Revo would be the perfect development and manufacturing partner for this historically important project.

 

"an overnight classic, 72 years in the making"

 

Over a period of 2 years the original Eames design was studied, developed and eventually prototyped by Revo and Vitra, with the first examples of the Eames Radio rolling off Revo’s production line in August 2018. The final product is remarkably true to the original 1946 design, save for a small number of adaptions that were made to incorporate 21st century functions.

 

 

More than 70 years after its conception, the Eames Office, Vitra and Revo have given life to a design that was a personal favourite of Charles and Ray Eames – an overnight classic, 72 years in the making – we feel sure that they’d approve.

 

 

The Eames Radio is equipped with DAB/DAB+ and FM receivers, Bluetooth connectivity and smart device charging. It’s encased in an elegant American walnut cabinet and features machined aluminium adornments in a black anodised finish.

Officially unveiled at Maison & Objet Paris on the 7th of September 2018, the Eames Radio is a limited edition of 999 examples, available exclusively from Vitra stockists or directly from:

www.vitra.com/en-gb/living/product/details/eames-radio

To find out more about Charles and Ray Eames and their work please visit The Eames Office, an organisation run by the Eames family and dedicated to communicating, preserving, and extending the work of Charles and Ray Eames.

www.eamesoffice.com