Dubbed the Cité Bed after the War, this design is among Ateliers Jean Prouvé’s most iconic. It was designed in 1930 for the student dormitories at the Cité Universitaire in Nancy. They specified the need for both a bed and nightstand, Prouvé opted to incorporate the two through the frame; the headboard transformed into a bedside table allowing for built-in storage space. Apart from a handful of simple variants, this asymmetrical arrangement remained unchanged. This daybed is in its original and untouched condition; the iconic light green color of the structure and the wooden parts are sophisticated and in overall very good condition. Prouvé (1901–1984) was a 20th-century pioneer in the innovative production of furniture and architecture. He contributed considerably to the reconstruction and urbanization of postwar France and left an indelible stamp on European material culture.

DATE

1951

MATERIALS

Bent sheet steel and wood

DIMENSIONS

H. 52 x L. 236 x P. 120 cm

STYLE

French Mid-Century

HERITAGE

France