A modular construction kit based on Charles and Ray Eames’ iconic mid-century modern home will be unveiled at an exhibition celebrating their architectural heritage at Triennale Milano during Milan Design Week.
The Eames Pavilion System is the centerpiece of the Eames House exhibition, which explores the architectural principles developed by the California-based couple in the 1940s and 1950s.
The Eames Office, founded in 1941 by Charles and Ray Eames and now led by the Eames family, has partnered with Spanish furniture brand Kettal to develop a system based on the Eameses’ vision for modular, human-scale home construction.
Eames Demetrios, grandson of Charles and Ray Eames, told Dezeen ahead of the exhibition that the project represents a true evolution of pioneering steel and timber-framed housing, including the couple’s home, Case Study House No. 8.
“People have always treated the Eames House as some kind of singularity, but it really wasn’t,” he explained.
“Charles and Ray were interested in the idea of systems thinking, and this house was just one example of that.”
The centerpiece of the 800 square meter exhibition is a two-story building constructed using a pavilion system developed under the management of Eckert Mays, a long-time collaborator and design consultant at the Eames Office.
“The Eames System is not a fancy copy of the Eames House,” Mays told Dezeen. “It’s completely different, but it’s part of the Eames House story and has the same DNA.”
Mays led a three-year research process that focused on the Eameses’ built and unbuilt housing projects, and unearthed previously unpublished materials from the Eames office archives that will be part of the exhibition.
“Even the most die-hard Eames fan will see something new here,” Demetrios asserted, adding that stepping into the Pavilion is the next best thing to visiting the original Eames House in Los Angeles.
The exhibition will also display scale models of several case study houses developed after World War II in response to a program sponsored by Arts & Architecture magazine that aimed to identify new building methods using industrial processes.
An accompanying book published by Phaidon compiles for the first time the couple’s residential construction projects and shows how they sought to design the building as a flexible backdrop for living and working.
“Architecture was the foundation of Charles and Ray’s practice,” Mays noted. “Although the public often associates their work primarily with furniture, their systematic architectural thinking shaped everything they did.”
“By showcasing the Eames House in both exhibition and book, and partnering with Ketal, we are able to move their ideas from the archives to contemporary life and place their thinking firmly in the present.”
The Eames Pavilion System represents the realization of a project the Eames Office has been considering since Ray Eames died in 1988, Demetrios said.
Asked if his grandparents would appreciate such efforts to translate their vision into a globally usable system, he said, “I’m sure they would think it would be great.”
“Every designer wants their work to continue to be developed after their death, and in our case, Charles and Ray trusted their family to take ownership of that process,” he noted.
“The Eames Pavilion System is one of our boldest moves to date, but it is completely consistent with the idea that stewardship doesn’t always mean looking back,” he added.
“It really means having a deep understanding of the research that has been done and how it is impacting the future on a smaller scale.”
The modular construction system condenses and modernizes some of Eames’ core architectural ideas, including the use of rational grids, a small footprint with maximum volume, and structures that can adapt over time.
It consists of repeatable modules that can be combined with replaceable roofs, facade infills, glass, textiles and fittings to create one-story pavilions or two-story buildings.
The Eames Office worked closely with Ketar on this project, drawing on the Barcelona-based brand’s experience in designing small-scale building systems for outdoor living.
Antonio Navarro, the company’s creative director, contributed to the standardization and industrialization of the system, creating a limited number of elements that were easy to transport, assemble and disassemble.
“The new system balances Charles and Ray’s original intentions with modern innovation,” Navarro asserted.
“High-precision aluminum profiles, engineered decks, bioclimatic roofs, integrated lighting and air conditioning, and digital configurators add modern layers to their grammar,” he added. “The goal is evolution, not reproduction of style.”
The system was designed to deliver the authentic Eames experience of space, quality and attention to detail while meeting modern technical and regulatory standards.
These components are manufactured at Kettal’s facility in Spain and shipped worldwide, with the company’s experts supporting each project throughout the planning and installation process.
Examples of possible use cases include vacation homes and associated dwelling units (ADUs), pool houses, pop-up retail spaces, conference rooms at work, and additional accommodations at hotels, restaurants, and resorts.
Demetrios told Dezeen that the project is in line with his grandparents’ vision of creating mass-produced housing that allows for rapid construction while providing a quality environment for tenants.
“This is not just about putting more Eames-style houses out there,” he argued. “We really think this will make people’s lives more beautiful, and there’s a huge need for that right now, especially in the United States.”
“I really think it could be part of the solution to the current housing crisis,” he added.
“This is not going to solve the need for mass public housing, but it could be one element of the solution because it might encourage people to build ADUs or build smaller but great quality homes.”
Visitors to the Eames House exhibit will experience a full-scale installation of the Eames Pavilion, as well as archival drawings, films, photographs, and newly commissioned scale models of eight Eames-designed homes, many of which have never been built.
This presentation will emphasize that architecture was an important part of the Eames’ practice, supporting some of his better-known work, including furniture, toys, photography, and film, as well as books.
Photographed by Salva Lopez.
The Eames House exhibition will be held at the Milan Triennale from April 21 to May 10, 2026. For more architecture and design events around the world, check out our Dezeen event guide.
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