Jurjen Creman

Valentijn Carbo

Amsterdam Central Station, Stationsplein (city side), in the middle of the main hall, near entrance to the metro

(Train tickets will be provided)

Late, lost or sick?

Call Hagar at +31 6 57228013

ICOM card / Museumjaarkaart

Date

1 June

Meeting time

8h55

Start tour

9h11 train departure from Amsterdam Centraal

End tour

15h45 aproximately

It is a 35 minutes walk to Utrecht Central Station.

Public transport is also possible, take a bus (e.g. 41 at stop Diakonessenhuis-Zuid) which will be detoured and will not be going through the old city because of Utrecht Pride

Kind of tour

Walking tour and using public transport, Check OV-pay

Walk in Utrecht

https://maps.app.goo.gl/yFye53JJ3eZs89kW8

We will visit houses designed by Gerrit Rietveld and Sybold van Ravesteyn, and look at architectural characteristics, function, restoration history and how these architects used colour in their designs. We will delve into the comparisons and differences between this house from Ravesteyn and the Rietveld houses.

This Schröder House marks Rietveld's commencement into architecture. It is a typical example of the De Stijl movement, a Dutch art movement that emerged in the early 20th century. Notable features include fixed horizontal and vertical lines, and a seamless integration between interior and exterior spaces. During the tour, we will explore Rietveld's ingenious solutions for the possibility to alternate between open spaces and closed private spaces.

While the Schröder House did not undergo formal colour research, the historical finishes found within, will be revealed throughout the tour by the opening of cupboards and closets, and will provide insights into how Rietveld utilized colour in his designs.

For some early images of the Schröder house see:

https://www.centraalmuseum.nl/en/zoeken#c5=schr%C3%B6derhuis+keuken&c12=Alleen+in+de+collectie&b_start=0&c4=beeldmateriaal

In line with the other modern houses of our tour, the form and openness of space are pivotal in the design of this house. During the 1930s, the modern movement witnessed debates regarding a more liberated and less dogmatically functional approach, exemplified by Ravesteyn's design. Ravesteyn experimented with round forms, wavy lines, and curly shapes, not only in terms of structural elements but also in the decorative patterns of finishes. In 1934, shortly after the completion of his house, his style was even described as 'ornamentless and flattened rococo'. Although the design of Ravesteyn did not always fit the established principles het Niewe Bouwen, his choice of materials seemed to align perfectly with this modern tradition.

In 2018 colour research was executed. It revealed that Ravesteyn implemented colour, gloss, and texture to create a cohesive unity within his design.

For this project, Rietveld had the opportunity to further experiment with functional design in the creation of these two housing blocks on the Erasmuslaan. During the tour, visitors will experience the spaciousness Rietveld achieved through his innovative space-dividing designs and his adept use of light and connection to the outdoors. Additionally, unlike the famous primary colours and black, grey, and white palette Rietveld is renowned for, this tour will showcase his more subdued use of pastel colours.

In 2002, the finishing layers of both the exterior and interior of Erasmuslaan 9 were examined. It was found that the colour palette used, consisting of white, black, aluminum, various shades of grey, pastel yellows, and -greens, was challenging to define precisely due to the non-prefabricated nature of the paint, resulting in slight variations in colour from spot to spot. Additionally, the initial paint layer on the walls had a very thin texture. It remains unclear whether this was intentional as a suggestion for the new residents or if it was part of the final design.

For this building Rietveld created a skeleton of steel to which with enamel sprayed reinforced concrete slabs could be installed to.

The current resident, who is also an architect, restored and renovated the house in 1995 to its original design.