Exhibited for the first time in over 15 years, Grande Structure Nomade Bleue is the largest surviving fragment of Jean Prouvé’s Villejuif Nomadic School in Val-de-Marne, northern France. Responding to evolving needs of post-war society, Prouvé developed the school through a lightweight, modular classrooms adaptable to various environments. Notable for its striking hue and expansive scale, the work features many of Prouvé’s signature innovations, including steel béquilles (crutches) and large glass facades – a testament to his vision for adaptable, scalable design.
Charlotte Perriand aimed to create functional living spaces, always led by the ethos that better design created better societies. The designer created Conference Table in 1947 as a special order for the France-USA Memorial Hospital in Saint-Lô, north-west France. Its extraordinary dimensions make it one of Perriand’s most imposing works, enabling all 22 members of the hospital’s board of directors to be comfortably seated around it. The table is a prime example of Perriand’s design output during this period, which was defined by prestigious public commissions.
Brazza Cupboards with Two Doors was a collaboration between Perriand and Prouvé, two legends of French modernist design. Designed for the Air France housing unit in the Republic of Congo, this innovative integrated closet is made of a removable frame, in which ironwood guides are embedded, allowing the diamond-cut aluminium doors to slide. The sculptural work exemplifies how designers like Perriand and Prouvé not only redefined the relationship between form and function but also shaped social and architectural ideals for mid-century European.
The Workshop is a unique site facilitating collaboration between artists, designers and artisans. Set within a vast, reimagined industrial printing plant, this extraordinary 8,000 sq m facility in the commune of Mitry-Mory is the beating heart of Carpenters Workshop Gallery’s ecosystem, where cutting-edge research and innovation converge to produce new contemporary artworks with the highest levels of craftsmanship.
