Revell Toy House Model

This model for a miniature house was created at the request of the Revell Company, a toy manufacturer. Decidedly modernist both in terms of its materials and its modularity, the design was envisioned as a set of interchangeable frames and panels made of injection-molded plastic, which children could assemble into one- or two-story structures. The model consists of four, square units of equal size that can be laid out horizontally or stacked vertically to create a multi-level tower. Miniature furniture, including several recognizable Eames designs, populates the four spaces: a bedroom, living room, kitchen/dining room, and outdoor patio (or roof deck, when stacked). The latter, which is decorated with a pedestal table and molded plastic armchairs, reflects the popular enthusiasm for indoor-outdoor living in this period. Many elements of the house— the bedspreads, rugs, kitchen flooring, patio tiles, etc.— are made from fine papers the Eameses collected from around the world, and which often played a part in Ray’s design process. The kit was never put into production by the Revell Company.