The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity is launching a landmark exhibition, Past as Prologue: The Last Decade of Furniture Design by Ray and Charles Eames (1968–1978), at San Francisco’s Transamerica Pyramid Center during San Francisco Design Week. This marks the Institute’s first major public installation outside its archives and forms part of a larger cultural partnership with luxury real estate development and investment firm SHVO and the Pyramid Arts Program.
The exhibition highlights the Eameses’ final decade of design, a period defined not by reinvention but by refinement. As the studio responded to changing production realities and workplace needs, it shifted from plywood and fiberglass to injection-molded plastics and polyurethane. Ergonomics took center stage as office work evolved, leading to subtle but meaningful design shifts that remain relevant today.
Chief curator Llisa Demetrios, granddaughter of Ray and Charles Eames, emphasizes the importance of this era: “It felt imperative to uncover some ephemera that isn’t always highlighted… I’m happy to bring each of these to light in a new way through this exhibit.”
Alongside the exhibition, the Institute is opening two retail spaces within the Transamerica Pyramid. A lobby storefront will feature furniture, books, and home goods, while a gallery shop will offer catalogs, literature on the Eames legacy, and design-forward gifts. A companion digital showcase will extend the exhibit’s reach beyond San Francisco.
The installation coincides with a broader celebration of design throughout the Jackson Square neighborhood. Events include a pub quiz, a Harvard Design Group panel, the launch of Panafold magazine’s second issue, and a film screening of Stardust: The Story of Robert Venturi & Denise Scott Brown.
The Transamerica Pyramid, itself a landmark of forward-thinking design completed in 1972, originally featured Eames furniture in its offices. A companion Time Capsule Exhibition highlights the building’s historic role in San Francisco’s cultural evolution.
“This exhibition celebrates exceptional design and reinforces our commitment to continuing the forward-thinking spirit that Transamerica Pyramid is recognized for,” says SHVO Chairman and CEO Michael Shvo.
Past as Prologue opens to the public on June 7. More details and a full schedule of events are available at eamesinstitute.org/sfdw-25-events.
