Compas Direction Desk - / By Jean Prouvé, 1953 - L 125 cm by Vitra Natural wood

Treat yourself to an ORIGINAL iconic piece by Vitra. An original will always hold its value. It will stay with you for your whole life and will outlive you, being passed on to the next generation. A self-taught architect with a passion for industrialising buildings, Jean Prouvé (1901 - 1984) is now considered a leading architect and one of the greatest designers of the 20th century, on a par with Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand. A pioneer, Prouvé played a major role in the development of mass production techniques in the European post-war modernist movement. Jean Prouvé developed a "constructive thought" based on a logic of series manufacturing and functionality to create an aesthetic that’s purified of all artifice. The designer has a wide portfolio of designs ranging from prefabricated homes to furniture for offices, classrooms and interiors. Jean Prouvé's creations have become icons of the post-war period and have spanned the whole century. From the 1930s, Jean Prouvé immediately affirmed the particularity of his approach: manufacturing furniture in series on industrial machines. After starting out in fine ironwork, Jean Prouvé discovered electric welding and various shaping techniques which he applied to sheet steel, a material which allowed him to obtain a very solid "hollow body". The use of this material is found in most of his furniture, such as the Compas Direction desk he created in 1953. Jean Prouvé designed several versions of the Compas Direction desk during the 1950s, using the construction principle so characteristic of his style. A common trait: the thin metal feet whose inverted V-shape evokes a schoolboy's compass. The oiled solid wood top gives it a luxurious, comfortable touch. With its compact dimensions, this desk is ideal for creating a workspace in a living room, hallway or bedroom.