Image source: Vitra — Compas Direction
© Vitra and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research.
Compas Direction
Jean Prouvé's 1953 Compas Direction: a compact desk with splayed steel legs and a solid wood top
1250 × 730 × 600 mm
1953
Approx. $4,600 (reference price; varies by region and retailer)
Official product information
INTEBEE AI PUBLIC LIBRARY is an independent furniture design research and discovery platform. Product specifications, finishes, availability and other details may change. For current and definitive information, please refer to the manufacturer's official website.
Go to the official product pageSpecifying Compas Direction for your design project?
INTEBEE is the FF&E specification platform for interior designers: spec sheets, finishes, floor plans and client-ready PDFs in one place.
Description
Overview
The Compas Direction is credited to Jean Prouvé, 1953. Its splayed legs recall the hinged arms of a compass. Vitra calls the desk compact and places it in the contemporary home office, with a solid wood top that gives it an individual touch.
Construction
- Top of solid oak or American walnut, oiled
- Legs of bent sheet steel, powder-coated (smooth)
- Two sizes, 1250 x 600 and 1250 x 700 mm, both 730 mm high
Specifications
- Size 125 x 60: 1250 mm wide, 600 mm deep, 730 mm high
Story
A compass in French
Vitra's page says the slender, elegantly splayed legs of the Compas Direction call to mind the hinged arms of a compass, "le compas" in French.
Image source: Vitra — Compas Direction · © Vitra and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research. · View official product page ↗ · Image use & copyright policy
Several versions around 1950
According to the fact sheet, Prouvé developed several versions of the Compas table around 1950 on the structural principles he is known for; all share the slender, splayed legs.
More by Jean Prouvé
Guéridon
Jean Prouvé's round wooden Guéridon of 1949, made for the University of Paris, in two sizes
Tabouret Haut
Jean Prouvé's 1942 bar stool in solid oak, with a chromed steel ring that serves as footrest
Cité
Prouvé's 1930 Cité armchair for Nancy's student halls, with steel runners and leather belt armrests
Trapèze
Jean Prouvé's Trapèze table of 1950/1954, from Antony: trapezoidal steel legs and a black top
Collection
Jean Prouvé Collection
Vitra's Jean Prouvé Collection: furniture produced with the Prouvé family since 2000, from the Standard chair to the Compas Direction desk, in original colours.
