Stainless Steel Compartment Tray Functional Modernist Object (c. 1970s–80s)

A stainless steel compartment tray defined by pure function and rational layout. Its geometry is dictated entirely by use: multiple rounded compartments pressed into a single sheet of metal, creating a rigid, hygienic, and durable object.

Originally produced for collective environments such as canteens or institutional dining spaces, this tray embodies a form of anonymous modernism — where design emerges naturally from efficiency, repetition, and material honesty.

Today, it reads as a graphic, almost abstract object. It can be used as a serving tray, desk organizer, kitchen centerpiece, or simply displayed as a found object celebrating utilitarian design.

Material: stainless steel

Condition: good vintage condition, surface marks and scratches consistent with industrial use

Origin: Europe (unbranded, institutional production)