Rietveld Schroeder-Huis in Utrecht...

One of the highlights of my time Prague some years ago was visiting Adolf Loos's 'Mueller House'. Such a nice lass - an architecture student - showed me through (I was the only visitor) . Ever since I have remembered Loos's innovative use of interior space, the way he played with and subverted our normal expectations of 'levels'.

Yesterday I returned to Utrecht for a tour of the Rietveld-Schroeder Huis, designed and built in 1924 by architect and furniture designer Gerrit Rietveld (of de Stijl fame) in collaboration with his client Mrs Truss Schroeder-Schraeder. Two things in particular fascinated me. Again there was the use of space - this time the creation of a space (quite small) that could be transformed from conventional (closed off rooms) to 'open-plan'. Or really the other way around, because the second floor was designed to be an entirely open living space during the day while sliding partitions enabled the creation of three bedrooms at night. It was ingenious, totally functional. I have never seen a space changed so totally as I watched. All this at a time when size and grandeur mattered. In 2000 the house was placed on the UNESCO world heritage list.

The second thing that intrigued me was Mrs Truss Schroeder-Schraeder herself. I knew nothing of her but have found out enough to want to learn a lot more. She came from a conventional marriage, to a lawyer, three children. On her husband's death she decided the family needed a more convenient home and commissioned Rietveld to design such. But they designed it together! She was very clear as to what she wanted - functionality, economical use of space, openess within and to the outside, flexibility... all features that have since become standard (?) in well designed homes but which were quite heretical at the time.

At some point, much later, Rietveld moved in to live with Truss - so there was both a professional and personal relationship which I want to explore further.

The interior of the house can't be photographed but there are good interior shots at Rietveld-Schroeder Huis. 

Such a satisfying visit!