The Van Schijndel House
Van Schijndel house
The tour gave an insight into the design principles of architect and product designer Van Schijndel (1943-1999). In the house he had designed and built for himself, many of his furniture pieces were also on display.
Description
Reception
The house is not a museum, but is occupied by Van Schijndel's widow. She welcomed us and showed a film about the design and construction of the house. The film had been made by Van Schijndel when he was awarded the Rietveld Prize for his house in 1995. The house has municipal monument status and is the youngest monument in the Netherlands.
The house
The house was built on the Pieterskerkhof in Utrecht together with some flats. Together with the gate, the flats form a whole.
The house is located in the 'back garden'. At the front of the house is a two-storey strip with entrance, kitchen and wellness area such as sauna on the ground floor and two bedrooms with two bathrooms on the first floor. Then there is a strip with the triangular living room and two patios. At the end, there is a strip with study, workshop and storage room. The roof of the living room goes from two to one storey.
Van Schijndel himself called it a house of air and light. Light is obtained in the house through the two patios. Noteworthy was the colour palette used. The walls and ceilings were white, but with a light touch of colour. The wall on which the cool morning light shone had a light yellow touch in the white. The wall with the warm afternoon sun had a blue touch and the ceiling a red, making the ceiling reminiscent of the beautiful evening sky. The corners of the patio could be opened, just like at the Rietveld house. The floor was natural stone. It was also remarkable that the living room was a triangular shape that formed a space with the patios, making the room seem very large.
Also remarkable was the use of kit. Kit was first used by Van Schijndel in his famous vase. In his house, he used it both to glue the facade to the house and as a hinge at doors.
Furniture
The house contained several pieces of furniture by his hand. Besides the famous vase, also chairs and tables, wine rack, lamp and kitchen cabinets
Location
Pieterskerkhof 8 in Utrecht
Organiser
Construction
Name and contact details for information
dr Antoinette Vietsch