Enthusiasts of Mid-Century Modern Design need to know about The Eames Eucalyptus Skate Deck, a collaboration between Eames Office and premium skateboard brand Globe. The two have introduced a limited number of beautiful skate decks made from a Eucalyptus Tree that once stood on the property of the Eames House.
Eames Eucalyptus Skate Deck
Most fans of Mid-Century Modern Architecture know of The Eames House aka Charles and Ray Eames’ Case Study House #8, an iconic example of MCM residential architecture.
The famous home is surrounded by Eucalyptus trees that have stood there for decades and whose care is included in the Eames House Conservation Plan.
Over time one of these trees, #236 (also known as ‘Molly’), became a risk to the structure and in 2021, had to be removed.
That’s when Eames Office teamed up with premium skateboard brand Globe to create what has got to be one of the more unique Eames collectibles out there.
Together Globe and Eames office created 100 special Eames Eucalyptus Skate Decks skate decks from Molly, the Eucalyptus tree that stood at the steps to the studio of The Eames House.
Each deck was shaped with a CNC machine – offering precision and minimizing the loss of material.
The deck top was then laser etched with recognizable Eames designs, and graphic features depicting The Eames House.
The process was finished with light sanding and the application of a finishing oil – bringing out the natural grain of the eucalyptus wood and each deck’s unique characteristics.
The pattern on top of the deck is laser-etched with a recognized Eames cross-stitch motif. The high-low texture complements the need for grip that makes the deck skateable.
Each of this limited series is ascribed its own number – one of 100 decks created with ‘Molly’. The drawing itself includes ‘Molly’ in her first life at The Eames House. An architectural line drawing of The Eames House features on the longer side panel, and the Eames x Globe collaboration logo is present throughout. The acrylic top pane of the box features the eucalypts that Ray and Charles adored in the original architect’s drawing, through which the decks crafted on of these trees are revealed.
As one of the world’s largest premium skateboard brands, Globe is mindful of the resources it uses to create its products. The eucalyptus deck is crafted from a tree felled for the purposes of conserving the Eames House, but more broadly, Globe has partnered with the National Forest Foundation to plant over 3 times the number of trees it uses to construct its skateboards.
The Eames House Conservation Plan was created to provide a framework for the care, management, and conservation of Case Study House #8. This plan includes a treatment of the landscape surrounding the house. Features of the landscape – every tree has been meticulously recorded and observed over time. The eucalyptus trees that became part of Ray and Charles’ everyday life, sheltering their home and welcoming the monarch butterflies in fall, were each given their own identifying number.
The Eames Eucalyptus Skate Deck is available exclusively at the “Eames Office: 80 Years of Design” Exhibition at Isetan in Tokyo.
