'Bloc' Sideboard by Charlotte Perriand for Cité Cansado, France - 1950s

Description

Designed by Charlotte Perriand during the 1950s for the Cité Cansado development, this five-door ‘Bloc’ sideboard exemplifies her vision of modular living and functional modernism. The composition features five sliding panels arranged in an alternating sequence of black and white, creating a pronounced architectural rhythm across its wooden structure. The contrasting panels introduce a restrained graphic quality against the warmth of the wooden frame, while the recessed circular pulls reinforce the clarity and coherence of the design.

The Cité Cansado project in Mauritania formed part of a larger modernist urban initiative developed in collaboration with Jean Prouvé and other leading designers and architects of the period. Perriand’s contribution focused on creating adaptable furnishings suited to modern living conditions while maintaining an economy of form and material. The sideboard demonstrates these principles through its modular flexibility, rational construction and architectural balance, functioning equally as storage and as an architectural element within the interior.

Faithful to Perriand’s belief in creating clarity through design, this sideboard embodies her principle of “creating emptiness”, offering storage that organises space while preserving openness. Preserved with a natural patina, it stands as both a functional piece of furniture and an important example of her approach to integrating furniture and architecture.

GW4769