Charlotte PERRIAND – Jean PROUVE
Placards « Brazza », 1952
Placard à 2 portes référencé B1
L. 170 x H. 86 x P. 53 cm
Doors colors : grey “Brazza”, light green “Brazza”, ivory.
This innovative concept for built-in cupboards consisted of a front independent of the inside. The front was composed as a demountable frame, part folded steel sheet and part folded aluminium sheet, into which were set channels in ‘ironwood’ that enabled the anodized aluminium doors to slide easily. Depending on the model there were either two or four doors, with profiled grips in solid redwood, made by André Chetaille.
Inside a central piece in folded steel sheet fitted with four lateral angle bars had regularly-spaced perforations for hanging the carrier hooks that supported shelves in solid padouk.
In-situ, the ‘body’ of the cupboard was in fact formed by the masonry walls of the building; now reconstituted to the original dimensions in plywood with marine varnish, oak veneer or paint finish.
In its standard versions, the « placard Brazza » ran to eight different models designed on the same principle, which differed by the number of doors, size, inside fit-out, and adaptation to places and varied functions: clothes hanging space, book shelves, varied storage units, for living room, bedroom or kitchen.
The director’s penthouse and guest house, on the terrace roof, were also equipped with cupboards with specific dimensions.