1) INTERACTIVE PLAY CAN BE A FORM OF LEARNING
The Eameses used play as a form of learning; they applied this concept to their 1961 exhibition Mathematica (still on view today), thereby offering others the same opportunity. Charles and Ray pioneered the interactive exhibition format and demonstrated the merit of experiential, accessible, and fun learning environments.The Eameses revealed the genuine fun of math and science to the broadest possible audience, letting “the cat out of the bag,” as Charles said. In organizing Mathematica, Charles and Ray worked with a talented staff and sought out experts in their field; yet they also followed one of their cardinal rules for any endeavor: They never delegated understanding. They committed themselves to unraveling every problem themselves. Philip Morrison said that, having worked as a consultant in a variety of offices, “…some of which had equally daunting artifacts around them, it was only at the Eames Office that the boss knew what they all meant.”
For decades, exhibition designers have looked to Mathematica as a model. Charles and Ray strived to develop an exhibition that would “…be of interest to a bright student and not embarrass the most knowledgeable,” in order to best reveal the inherent fun of ideas.
Via hermanmiller.com
