ARCHITECTURE
At home in Moderndam Rotterdam is at the forefront of modern architecture today. This started just over a century ago in 1898, with the construction of Europe’s first skyscraper, known to locals as the White House. Words by LAURA MITCHELL Pictures courtesy of HUIS SONNEVELD / JOHANNES SCHWARTZ
Huis Sonneveld (Sonneveld House) was built in the 1930s as a fine example of Nieuwe Bouwen (New Buildings), a Dutch version of functionalist housing. At the time of its building, Huis Sonneveld was a modern home complete with the latest gadgets of the era, including an audio system in every room, an electrical device to summon the servants, an in-house elevator to carry wood from the basement to the living room, even a shower with 10 shower heads!
A conscious choice to live modern
“Colors like cornflower blue, egg yolk yellow, and vermillion suit their chosen areas perfectly.”
Huis Sonneveld is a modern house in which Le Corbusier’s five main principles were enriched by unusual warmth in the interiors. Dutch architects
functional way of living, in keeping with the Bauhaus
Brinkman and Van der Vlugt, also known for the Van
principle known as Gesamtkunstwerk (a total work of
Nelle Factory and Feyenoord Stadium, designed
art), which Mr. Sonneveld admired and successfully
the house just following the Great Depression. The
celebrated in his harmoniously designed home.
architects took over every detail in the interior layout, even deciding how the furniture was to be arranged.
Revisiting the past
But the duo also worked closely with the Sonneveld
Entering this 1930s dream home in 2016, the bold but
family, choosing colors for rooms to reflect each family
harmonious color combinations are instant eye candy
member’s personal preferences.
for my mental mood board. My favorite space is the
When the family moved in in 1933, they made the
bright teal bathroom, which had me mesmerized
conscious decision to “live modern” and therefore
from the moment I laid eyes on the beautiful bold
discarded all of their old furniture. They replaced
wall of tiles. The curved edges of the main staircase
everything with brand new furniture, including tubular
and tubular custom-made Gispen furniture contrast
steel chairs and tables from the Dutch company
beautifully with the warm, clear hues of the walls
Gispen—a dream come true for me and my fellow
and floors, making for an almost dream-like experience
Gispen adorers! The entire home was designed for a
as you wander from room to room.
ROTTERDAM
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