July 22: Rotterdam – Huis Sonneveld

Part of the NAi campus is the Huis Sonneveld, a wonderfully preserved example of original-era Dutch modernism (the Nieuwe Bouwen style). It was designed by Leendert van der Vlugt and built in 1933, and restored in 2001. Audio tours took us all over the Huis.

1915

Gauzy sunlight drifts in onto a corner windowsill.

1916

A sufficiency of chrome.

1920

A most elegant spiral stair.

1923

This orange awning outside the living room windows uncannily foreshadows the 1970s.

1924

This lion cannot quite believe what he is seeing.

1931

The close-knit family of stools huddle together in their native habitat: the corner office.

1934

Trigger warning: red.

1938

A stylish little pass-through between the kitchen and dining room. I like how it's nestled into the cabinets on both sides.

1939

An adorable little gas stove.

1943

And an adorable little fridge!

1944

And a looming exhaust hood.

1946

And, of course, a dumbwaiter.

1948

I'm very curious what this countertop material is. It looks like a contemporary resinous composite, like Corian. Maybe it's a sort of terrazzo.

1949

Down the service stairs. It would be fun to hang out in that little niche at left behind the railing, if one were small enough to fit.

1953

This cute li'l model is not of the Huis, but maybe of another of Van der Vlugt's projects.

1960

Wow! I'm not sure which room this is in, or how the translucency is varied like that, but what a pretty effect.

1961

Surprise vanities.

1972

Is this a built-in mirror? I can't figure out what else it would be. Maybe I would remember if I hadn't taken four years to caption this photo. #procrastination