MERCOLEDÌ 17 DICEMBRE 2025 
Un spectaculaire bureau en acier de Ben Swildens
F erri will present on 17 December at the Hôtel Drouot an emblematic work of contemporary design: the spectacular stainless-steel desk created in 1966 for Peugeot’s Paris headquarters on avenue de la Grande-Armée..
A visionary project for Peugeot’s headquarters
Commissioned by the Max Ingrand studio and produced by Croiseau, the piece is estimated at €350,000–500,000 and is appearing on the market for the first time since 7 November 1992, when it was acquired by the family of the current owner.
It is one of only three known examples, created specifically for Peugeot’s avant-garde 1966 showroom. This sophisticated, daring architectural project was overseen by Louis Sainsaulieu, with the interior decoration entrusted to the celebrated French master glassmaker and designer Max Ingrand. He integrated an impressive number of glass partitions, which dominated the aesthetics of the vast 45,000-square-metre showroom and gave it its futuristic character. The most iconic elements were the three desks positioned at the entrance, designed exclusively for the receptionists who greeted visitors..
It is one of only three known examples, created specifically for Peugeot’s avant-garde 1966 showroom. This sophisticated, daring architectural project was overseen by Louis Sainsaulieu, with the interior decoration entrusted to the celebrated French master glassmaker and designer Max Ingrand. He integrated an impressive number of glass partitions, which dominated the aesthetics of the vast 45,000-square-metre showroom and gave it its futuristic character. The most iconic elements were the three desks positioned at the entrance, designed exclusively for the receptionists who greeted visitors..
A sculptural creation by Ben Swildens
This striking desk is the work of Ben Swildens, a designer Ingrand had been collaborating with since 1962. Every part of this unique piece was made by shaping a long, thick, custom-made volume, voluptuously curved to form a flat top, a base and an integrated seat.
Swildens’ preference for stainless steel aligned perfectly with Ingrand’s overall aesthetic austerity—seen in the pure white Carrara marble floor, the monumental architectural features and the glass walls. “It matched the overall spirit,” he later explained. For a desk intended for the ethereal context of this automotive showroom, metal was, in his view, unquestionably the most appropriate material.
Despite its apparent simplicity, the desk involves highly complex adjustments throughout its volume, with multiple transitions in thickness, form, curvature and width, carefully calibrated to suit each functional area. The strong contrast between the soft curves and sharp edges is heightened by its reflective finish, giving the design its distinctive character.
Swildens’ preference for stainless steel aligned perfectly with Ingrand’s overall aesthetic austerity—seen in the pure white Carrara marble floor, the monumental architectural features and the glass walls. “It matched the overall spirit,” he later explained. For a desk intended for the ethereal context of this automotive showroom, metal was, in his view, unquestionably the most appropriate material.
Despite its apparent simplicity, the desk involves highly complex adjustments throughout its volume, with multiple transitions in thickness, form, curvature and width, carefully calibrated to suit each functional area. The strong contrast between the soft curves and sharp edges is heightened by its reflective finish, giving the design its distinctive character.
Ben Swildens and Max Ingrand: a defining collaboration
In 1961, Ben Swildens—winner of a design competition for Saint-Gobain—met Max Ingrand, who had designed the interiors of the company’s headquarters in Neuilly a few years earlier.
The following year, Ingrand invited him to assist in creating the French Pavilion for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. After this success, Ingrand established a decoration department within his firm and entrusted its direction to Swildens. With the ambition of competing for major corporate and institutional projects, the department quickly grew, naturally leading to its selection for the design of Peugeot’s new headquarters in 1966. For the entrance hall on avenue de la Grande-Armée, Swildens created three stainless-steel desks formed from a single sweeping ribbon of metal, seamlessly shaping the base, desk and chair in one continuous movement.
The following year, Ingrand invited him to assist in creating the French Pavilion for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. After this success, Ingrand established a decoration department within his firm and entrusted its direction to Swildens. With the ambition of competing for major corporate and institutional projects, the department quickly grew, naturally leading to its selection for the design of Peugeot’s new headquarters in 1966. For the entrance hall on avenue de la Grande-Armée, Swildens created three stainless-steel desks formed from a single sweeping ribbon of metal, seamlessly shaping the base, desk and chair in one continuous movement.
