Paul Evans For Directional 'Cityscape' Pe 200 Side Table

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The 'Cityscape' side table from the PE200 series by Paul Evans for Directional, originating from the United States in circa 1975, is a truly unique piece. This design is one of the most successful and highly regarded by Evans, thanks to its luxurious and modern appearance, achieved through the use of chrome-plated steel, brass, and glass. The PE 200 series is notable for its flat surfaces, executed solely in chrome-plated steel and brass, with geometry at the forefront, expressed through clear lines and angular shapes. The table's construction is based on an octagonal shape with a round glass top, and the surface is covered in chrome-plated and brass sheets with an asymmetrical mosaic design. This defining contrast is a testament to the postmodern design ideology, and in the light, the table's surface shimmers and glows, reminiscent of the disco era. The 'Cityscape' series began with Evans' exploration of a new material in his studio: chromed steel. The research and development for this series began in 1970 and took six months to complete. Evans had previously used a constructivist approach to design, which involved repetitive and varied geometrical modules, constructed from discrete metal plates, welded together, and then embellished. The material required great technical competence and precision, which Evans rose to the challenge to achieve. The series' visual characteristics are undeniably deluxe, and his great craftsmanship and creativity make the Cityscape furniture refined and exceptional. Evans himself described the series as "an elegant and unconventional statement, the ultimate in high fashion contemporary furniture." Although Evans had a metalworking background, the Cityscape series is also relevant to the Art Deco period of the 1920s and '30s. Evans was strongly influenced by Viennese Art Deco designer Paul Frankl, known for his designs modeled after New York architectural skyscrapers. As the name suggests, the mirrored surface of the sideboards graphically resembles a skyline, and other shapes within the series also represented a more general sphere of urbanity. The stylistic features of the Art Deco era played a significant role in shaping the series' overall aesthetic, with Hollywood set designers using different materials such as mirrors, chromed steel, high-polish lacquer, and silver-gilt wood to create a mirrored, sheen, and reflective finish and to create surfaces of high contrast. Paul Evans was one of the most important members of the American Studio Craft Movement, helping to establish the Philadelphia region as a prominent center for Studio Craft in the late 1960s with other artists such as Wharton Esherick and George Nakashima. Evans was born in Newton, Pennsylvania, and studied at various institutions, including the Philadelphia Textile Institute, the Rochester Institute of Technology, the School for American Craftsman, and the Cranbrook Academy of Art. He eventually settled in New Hope, Pennsylvania in 1955, where he collaborated and shared a showroom with Phillip Lloyd Powell until 1966. During this period, he began creating furniture and sculpture, manipulating materials to achieve expressive surface effects. In 1964, Evans started working for the Directional Furniture company, where he pursued a new phase of his career, introducing new lines and gaining greater exposure for his work. Unfortunately, his line proved too expensive, and by the end of the seventies, he ended his relationship with the company. It was during the seventies that Evans started to replace his textured surfaces, which were patinated with paint and acid, with dazzling, reflective metal surfaces that were sometimes mixed with woods. Evans' oeuvre is impressive, especially considering that all of his pieces were handmade. He closed his business on March 6, 1987 and, sadly, passed away the following day due to a heart attack.

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