Eames Plastic Armchair LAR_web_sub_hero

Eames Plastic Armchair RE LAR

Charles & Ray Eames, 1950

The Plastic Chairs RE by Charles and Ray Eames are among the most important designs in the history of furniture. Following their initial presentation at the 'Low Cost Furniture Design' competition organised by the Museum of Modern Art in 1948, the chairs were launched on the market in 1950 in an armchair version (A-shell) and as a simpler side chair (S-shell) – making them the first ever mass-produced chairs made of plastic.

With the debut of their Plastic Chairs, Charles and Ray Eames introduced a new furniture typology that has since spread around the globe: the multifunctional chair whose shell can be joined with a variety of different bases. Already in 1950, they presented a series of bases that enabled various sitting positions, including the low-slung LAR (Lounge Height Armchair Rod Base).

The LAR seems to have been one of Charles and Ray's favourite designs: vintage photographs show it in numerous locations throughout the legendary Eames House in Pacific Palisades – both indoors and out. This also reveals how lightweight the chair is, and how easily it can be moved around.

Thanks to its compact dimensions, the Plastic Chair RE LAR can also be used in smaller interiors, and the wide choice of colours for the shell, today manufactured by Vitra in post-consumer recycled plastic, as well as for the upholstery fabric and base ensure that the chair is suited to diverse interior styles and settings. The steel wire base, which achieves maximum stability with minimum materials, acquired a charming nickname within just a short time on the market as a result of its unusual form: 'Cat's Cradle' – in reference to the children's string game.

Due to the organic shape of this classic armchair, the LAR is a striking solo piece, but it can also be paired with many types of sofas to create an appealing contrast. Especially in the version with full upholstery, the LAR offers long-lasting comfort, making this modestly sized armchair an excellent seating option for any living space.

Vitra-3068

Post-consumer plastic

Post-consumer plastic refers to plastic material, often single-use waste disposed of by consumer households and then transformed into a new product. Post-consumer plastics used by Vitra were originally manufactured into packaging for products purchased by consumers and later collected via Germany’s ‘Yellow Bag’ system before being reprocessed into new raw material.

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Product family

Eames Plastic Chairs RE

Eames House EPC RE_web_4-3
Eames Plastic Side Chair DSR Mustard Citron_web_4-3
Eames House EPC RE_web_4-3Eames Plastic Side Chair DSR Mustard Citron_web_4-3

The most of the best to the greatest number of people for the least. with these words, Charles and Ray Eames described one of their main goals as furniture designers. The design that most fully embodied this ideal was the Plastic Chair. For years, the designer couple explored the fundamental idea of a one-piece seat shell moulded to fit the contours of the human body. After their experiments with plywood and sheet aluminium in the 1940s yielded unsatisfactory results, the designers turned to alternative materials which led them to glass-fibre reinforced polyester resin. The Eameses recognised the potential and explored the advantages of the material - mouldability, rigidity, pleasant tactile qualities and suitability for industrial manufacturing methods. With this material, which was previously unknown in the furniture industry, they successfully developed the shell design for serial production. After their 1948 debut at the Museum of Modern Art's 'Low-Cost Furniture Design' competition, the Plastic Armchair (A-shell) and Plastic Side Chair (S-shell) were introduced to the market in 1950 as the very first mass-produced plastic chairs in the history of furniture. The Eames Plastic Chairs also introduced a new furniture typology that has since become widespread: the multifunctional chair whose shell can be joined with a variety of different bases to serve diverse purposes. As early as 1950, Charles and Ray Eames presented a series of bases that enabled various sitting positions. Over the years and in ongoing consultation with the Eames family, Vitra has introduced more sustainable materials for the seat shells of the Eames Shell Chairs. Since 2024 the shells of the Eames Plastic Chairs have been made from recycled plastic and the chair family is now called Eames Plastic Chair RE. The high-quality recycled material stems from household recycling, particularly used packaging, obtained through the 'Yellow Bag' (Gelber Sack) collection programme in Germany. Utilising this raw material instead of petroleum-based primary plastics generates fewer climate-damaging emissions and consumes significantly less energy. Due to the composition of the recycled material, the various colour versions are interspersed with tiny specks of pigment. The colour white is being replaced by Cotton White RE, but is expected to remain available in virgin polypropylene until the end of 2025. Like the seat shells of Eames Plastic RE, the version in white is 100% recyclable at the end of its product life.

This product was designed by

Charles & Ray Eames

Charles & Ray Eames pinned_web_teaser
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Charles & Ray Eames on a Motorcycle_web_designer_filter
Charles & Ray Eames pinned_web_teaserCharles and Ray Eames_web_designer_filterCharles & Ray Eames on a Motorcycle_web_designer_filter

Charles and Ray Eames are counted among the most important figures of twentieth-century design. Their work spans the fields of furniture design, filmmaking, photography and exhibition design. Vitra is the sole authorised manufacturer of Eames products for Europe and the Middle East. When you own an Eames product made by Vitra, you know it is an original.