Sonneveld HouseSonneveld House

Sonneveld House Museum, situated on the edge of Museumpark in Rotterdam, is one of the best-preserved homes built in the Dutch Functionalist style. It was designed in the 1930s by architecture office Brinkman and Van der Vlugt, renowned for the Van Nelle Factory and Feyenoord Stadium. They also worked on the interior in close collaboration with W.H. Gispen. Sonneveld House shows how a prominent Rotterdam family embraced modernism, and how that choice coloured their everyday surroundings. The interior has been enriched with art and utensils acquired through donations, purchases and loans.

Albertus Sonneveld, one of the three directors of the Van Nelle Factory, commissioned the construction of the detached house for himself and his family in 1929. They finally moved into the new house on Jongkindstraat in 1933, leaving all their old household possessions behind. Not merely content to adapt to their new surroundings, they chose to modernize their whole lifestyle according to the tastes of the avant garde. The Sonneveld House illustrates how the new trends in architecture were welcomed by the influential upper middle class.

Nieuwe Bouwen is a functionalist architecture that emerged in the early 20th century and peaked between the two world wars. Rather than aiming toward monumentalism, its architects focused on a building’s function and the needs of its users. They used modern techniques and materials such as concrete and steel frames to design efficient, hygienic buildings. Functional floor plans and an open, flexible layout contrasted with the traditional closed volumes and gave the buildings an open, airy feel. Nieuwe Bouwen sought to create a healthy living environment full of fresh air and sunlight.

A striking aspect of the house is the way Brinkman and Van der Vlugt designed not only the architecture but also the complete interior. For the furnishings, they selected mainly furniture by the designer/manufacturer Gispen and fabrics by the firm Metz & Co. The Sonneveld House is probably the first example of an early modern interior where the products of these companies were applied consistently. The house was moreover equipped with the latest household gadgets to enhance the domestic pleasure of its inhabitants.

Sonneveld House, which enjoys national heritage status, was opened to the public in 2001 after undergoing restoration work and refurbishment to recreate the original condition of the house and interior. This was largely achieved with objects owned by the Sonneveld heirs, among them items of furniture and lamps, as well as personal belongings acquired by the family when they lived in the house from 1933 to 1955. In addition, art and design from the 1930s, in particular glasswork, have been added to enliven the interior of Sonneveld Museum House.

Sonneveld House is a member of the Iconic Houses Network. The Iconic Houses website offers an overview of modern museum houses and houses belonging to architects all over the world that are open to the public. The organisation also serves professionals responsible for looking after museum houses and aims to share knowledge and expertise on conservation, programming and public outreach. See the special focus on Sonneveld Museum House on the Iconic Houses website.

• Owner Sonneveld House: Stichting Volkskracht Historische Monumenten, Rotterdam
• Management: Nieuwe Instituut
• Restoration 2001: Molenaar & Van Winden Architecten
• Refurbishment: Nieuwe Instituut
• With special thanks to Stichting Behoud Interieur Huis Sonneveld (BIHS) and Leonard Kooy, and to the National Glass Museum in Leerdam for the loan of objects.

The management of Sonneveld House was made possible through financial contributions from

• Stichting Volkskracht, Rotterdam
• Stichting Volkskracht Historische Monumenten