Rietveld Schroder House, Utrecht (must see)

The Rietveld Schroder House was built in 1924 by architect Gerrit Rietveld. Mrs. Truus Schröder-Schräder commissioned it as a private residence for herself and her three children. Mrs. Schroder lived in the house until her death in 1985.

Today, the home is a museum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its radical and creative design.

Remarkably, Mrs. Schroder envisioned a home without walls. She sought to eliminate conventional ideas of containment, confinement, and discipline. Instead, Mrs. Schroder wanted a home with excellent indoor-outdoor flow and an open feel.

The design was inspired by the Dutch De Stijl artistic movement. Features include indoor-outdoor flow, clean horizontal and vertical lines, and bold primary colors. The home was designed to be simple and spacious.

The ground floor has three bedrooms and a central staircase. Upstairs, visitors will find an open living area. The living area has sliding partitions that can create three bedrooms, a bathroom, and a living room. During the day, the family had the partitions open. When they were ready to retire for the night and needed privacy, they would slide the partitions closed.

The upstairs windows swing open to a 90-degree angle. This makes the interior feel instantly connected to the exterior. The house originally had beautiful landscape views until a motorway was built in front of the house during the 1960s.

Why You Should Visit:
The Rietveld Schroder House is one of the most well-known examples of architecture inspired by the De Stijl movement. Its remarkable use of space was well ahead of its time.

Tips:
Book ahead of time as tickets are limited.