Eileen Gray was a designer and architect working alongside the modernist movement from 1910 until her death in 1976. She is best known for her architectural work, however the design that interests me most is the architects cabinet, designed in 1925. The design is practical for its use in an architects office, and has space for large drafts, documents, rolls of paper and utensils. The material and finish of the cabinet gives it a traditional, rustic look, however the design of the cabinet’s features is quite different from traditional western designs, with its swing opening drawers and asymmetrical, modernist layout. Although the cabinet is designed with simple materials and shapes, There is a sense of luxury about it. The swing opening drawers are not so much a practical solution as a piece of theatre. One can imagine the cabinet being a pleasure to interact with. The cabinets oddly shaped drawer handles are also an interesting feature, which I assume are designed to compliment the drawers unorthodox mechanism. The cabinet echoes traditional Japanese cabinet designs, which often make use of asymmetric layouts, and natural wood finishes. An eastern influence on the cabinets appearance is not surprising given that Gray’s introduction to furniture design came from lacquer working, and many of her early designs are heavily influenced by traditional Chinese and Japanese aesthetics.  The cabinets rustic appearance is in contrast to much of Gray’s work, which usually made use of industrial materials such as steel, leather and concrete. Perhaps for this reason the cabinet is one of Grays more obscure designs, and only 2 examples were initially made following its design in 1925. I have been unable to track down exactly what material the cabinet is made from, however I have seen a limited run of 25 reproductions  for sale which are made from Maple veneered MDF, and given Grays industrial design background this would make sense as a material choice for her over solid wood. To me the cabinet is a great example of the elegance and originality that can be achieved using only clean lines and simple materials.