Rotterdam: Sonneveld House, A Modernist Villa

Sonneveld House, in Rotterdam, is one of the best-preserved Modernist houses in the Dutch Functionalist style. The villa was designed in 1933 by architecture firm Brinkman and Van der Vlugt, for Albertus Sonneveld, a director of the nearby Van Nelle Factory. The architects designed a total concept in which architecture, interior and furnishings are perfectly coordinated. Almost all items of furniture and lamps in the house were made by the firm of Gispen, some of them specially for the Sonnevelds. This level of customization reveals the family’s appreciation of luxury and comfort.

Provided visitors wear protective shoe covers and they can go anywhere – even opening cupboards and photographing anything we like.

I love the rich colours which may be inspired by the Dutch art movement De Stijl, founded in Leiden, 1917.

All of the shots here were taken hand-held using available light.

See my travel shots of Rotterdam.