Eames House Conservation
April 5, 2012 by:
Daniel Ostroff
Courtesy of Escher-Wardena, the architectural firm that is overseeing the
Eames House Conservation
“The borrowing of the Eames House living room contents for the show, “California Design, 1930-1965: Living in a Modern Way” by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2011 provided an opportunity for necessary work on the house itself. Escher GuneWardena Architecture was retained by the Eames Foundation to address pressing repairs in several areas of the house, as well as to investigate the possibility of introducing museum quality HVAC system for the future protection of the collection. The ensuing investigation into specific areas of work, as well as an understanding of the Foundation’s long-term goals opened the door to undertaking a larger study of the buildings and grounds as a whole, and involving the Getty Conservation Institute in the overall effort to conserve the house for the next 250 years.The Conservation Project has been divided into two main phases: Phase I. will finish with the return of the collection from LACMA in June 2012, and addresses immediate issues such as the replacement of the deteriorated living room tile flooring, re-roofing the house and studio, renewal and protection of the interior wood paneling, repairs and protection of the steel window system, installation of UV-protection on the exterior glass, and the cleaning and re-lining of under-floor HVAC ducts in preparation for the museum-quality climate control system. This phase of restoration work both lays the groundwork for the larger conservation of the house, and limits itself to the living room, which is temporarily accessible due to the LACMA exhibition.Later restoration phases will address the long-term protection of the house from water infiltration through the retaining wall, risks to the house from erosion of the hillside above, upgrading the electrical system to handle additional electrical loads imposed by the visiting program, addressing plumbing issues prior to becoming a danger to the historic fabric, and the installation of a the museum-quality climate control system necessary for the longevity of the objects.The Getty Conservation Institute continues to provide extensive technical support by sample analysis of the painting scheme of the house, the wood paneling, mold and moisture monitoring in and around the house, as well as leading the effort to develop the museum-quality climate control system that is appropriate for the collection, the visiting program and the existing house infrastructure. To this end, they have installed an outdoor weather station at the South-East end of the property that will monitor climatic conditions on the exterior of the house, and will install and interior monitoring station once all moisture-infiltration issues within the house have been resolved through the Phase I. work.The Eames Foundation, The Getty Conservation Institute and Escher GuneWardena Architecture have also undertaken the creation of a Conservation Maintenance Plan, which should lay out the policies and decision-making processes necessary to drive future repairs and periodic maintenance in support of the Foundation’s 250-year preservation plan.”
“The borrowing of the Eames House living room contents for the show, “California Design, 1930-1965: Living in a Modern Way” by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2011 provided an opportunity for necessary work on the house itself. Escher GuneWardena Architecture was retained by the Eames Foundation to address pressing repairs in several areas of the house, as well as to investigate the possibility of introducing museum quality HVAC system for the future protection of the collection. The ensuing investigation into specific areas of work, as well as an understanding of the Foundation’s long-term goals opened the door to undertaking a larger study of the buildings and grounds as a whole, and involving the Getty Conservation Institute in the overall effort to conserve the house for the next 250 years.The Conservation Project has been divided into two main phases: Phase I. will finish with the return of the collection from LACMA in June 2012, and addresses immediate issues such as the replacement of the deteriorated living room tile flooring, re-roofing the house and studio, renewal and protection of the interior wood paneling, repairs and protection of the steel window system, installation of UV-protection on the exterior glass, and the cleaning and re-lining of under-floor HVAC ducts in preparation for the museum-quality climate control system. This phase of restoration work both lays the groundwork for the larger conservation of the house, and limits itself to the living room, which is temporarily accessible due to the LACMA exhibition.Later restoration phases will address the long-term protection of the house from water infiltration through the retaining wall, risks to the house from erosion of the hillside above, upgrading the electrical system to handle additional electrical loads imposed by the visiting program, addressing plumbing issues prior to becoming a danger to the historic fabric, and the installation of a the museum-quality climate control system necessary for the longevity of the objects.The Getty Conservation Institute continues to provide extensive technical support by sample analysis of the painting scheme of the house, the wood paneling, mold and moisture monitoring in and around the house, as well as leading the effort to develop the museum-quality climate control system that is appropriate for the collection, the visiting program and the existing house infrastructure. To this end, they have installed an outdoor weather station at the South-East end of the property that will monitor climatic conditions on the exterior of the house, and will install and interior monitoring station once all moisture-infiltration issues within the house have been resolved through the Phase I. work.The Eames Foundation, The Getty Conservation Institute and Escher GuneWardena Architecture have also undertaken the creation of a Conservation Maintenance Plan, which should lay out the policies and decision-making processes necessary to drive future repairs and periodic maintenance in support of the Foundation’s 250-year preservation plan.”
The Escher-Gunewardena website can be found here.
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