Manufacturer: Vitra | Designer: Charles & Ray Eames, 1949

A Desk Rooted in Postwar Industrial Thinking

In 1949, Charles and Ray Eames developed a system of freestanding, multifunctional shelves and desks that applied the same principles of industrial production they had used in the construction of the Eames House. The result was the Eames Storage Unit (ESU) and the Eames Desk Unit (EDU) — modular, honest in their materials, and designed to be reconfigured as needs changed.

Vitra’s reissue was developed in collaboration with the Eames Office and Dutch designer Hella Jongerius, who defined a new colour scheme that celebrates the spirit of the 1940s and ’50s while giving the EDU a fresh, contemporary character. The coloured powder-coated aluminium panels add a cheerful accent to the home office, doubling as a modesty shield and partially enclosing the two storage compartments. The metal support frame is height-adjustable to accommodate uneven floors. Recommended for domestic use only.

Specifications

• Dimensions — W152.5 × D71 × H74cm
• Tabletop — Plywood with birch veneer (Poland and Finland)
• Panels — Powder-coated aluminium
• Shelves — Maple plywood with birch face veneer (Poland and Finland), transparent lacquer finish
• Frame — Black powder-coated steel; height-adjustable legs

Designed as a companion to the Vitra Eames Storage Units.

Part of the Vitra Eames collection, Vitra Home Office and Office Desks.