richard hutten curates a design intervention at sonneveld house

richard hutten curates a design intervention at the sonneveld house
sonneveld house dining room. cupboard with glassware by design of a. d. copier, and a ‘domoor’ mug designed by richard hutten
photo by johannes schwartz

following the restoration of the sonneveld house, one of the best-preserved homes in the nieuwe bouwen style, dutch designer richard hutten was invited to guest curate its interior by altering the original layout with his own product designs. designed in the early 1930s by architecture firm brinkman & van der vlugt, the sonneveld house was applied with the most hyper-moderm materials and styles of the time, like tubular steel furniture, linoleum and soft shades of earthy colors which establish the chromatic aesthetic.

hutten’s interventions within the space range from obvious to invisible. in some cases, his additions create a pronounced juxtaposition of the native composition, for instance in the dining room, he has included two of his playful, vibrantly colored dombo mugs in an otherwise stark cabinet filled with fragile glass volumes. however, a careful balance of respect for the historical context and the incorporation of contemporary details describe the project, as hutten explains, ‘for me the sonneveld house is an icon, a highlight of modernism and relevant to this day. my idea is to introduce some dynamics into this serious and static building with a number of major and minor interventions.’

sonneveld house balcony, with ‘rhino’ chairs and objects designed by richard hutten
photo by johannes schwartz

hutten’s interspersed items lend a novel atmosphere and character to the renowned home and invite visitors to contemplate what is authentic and what has been inserted later. the presentation will take place from november 17th, 2013 to may 11th, 2014.

sonneveld house studio with ‘3 minus 1 bureau’ by design of richard hutten
photo by johannes schwartz