Pierre Chapo B40 Desk Solid Elm - 1960's

Characteristic desk by French designer and carpenter Pierre Chapo. Eye-catching detail is the remarkable carved tabletop, with slanted sides and corners. This extraordinary desk is carved from solid elmwood. The tabletop rests on two cabinets that are placed slightly towards each other. The cabinet is equipped with shelves and drawers which provide plenty of storage space. All are designed with high attention to detail and characteristic wood joints, which Pierre Chapo is known for. This desk can be placed in different setups because the cabinets are separate from the floating desktop.

Pierre Chapo (1927-1987) was born in a family of craftsmen and trained as an architect in Paris. After spending many years traveling through south and north America he and his partner Nicole set up Société Chapo, an architectural research consultancy and interior design firm. In 1958 they opened their famous gallery at 14 Boulevard de l'Hopital. Chapo's work originated by means of special commissions that could later be adapted to universal needs. Chapo was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright's balanced lines, Corbusier's research on proportions, and Bauhaus. Societe Chapo was a design workshop and gallery in one where Nicole presented ceramics, textiles, and other designs by the great designers of the day. The three principles that motivated Pierre Chapo were 'material, form, and function.' He measured his furniture by means of the golden ratio and used elmwood as his preferred material.