Cees Braakman

CEES BRAAKMAN (Utrecht, 1917-1995 for Pastoe.
Coffee table model "TE07", 1950s.
Wood.
Measurements: 60 x 70 x 75 cm.
The coffee table model TE07, designed in the 1950s, is a representative piece of post-war modern European design, where functionality and formal clarity become essential principles. Conceived with a structure of three curved wooden legs, its light and balanced silhouette is evidence of careful research into stability and organic aesthetics. This distinctive feature, known as the "Braakman detail", not only fulfills a structural function, but also provides visual identity to the ensemble.
Its author, Cees Braakman, was a key figure in the renewal of industrial design in the Netherlands. Initially trained in the family craft environment, his career took a decisive turn after a trip to the United States, where he came into contact with the ideas of modern design and mass production. Upon his return, he developed an innovative line of furniture for the firm Pastoe, characterized by experimentation with new techniques, such as the use of molded wood, and by a refined aesthetic influenced by international functionalism.