Icons of Utrecht

In Utrecht, the year 2010 has been launched as the ‘Rietveld-year’. During this year, several activities are developed to highlight Rietvelds work and ideas. Aorta, the Utrecht center of architecture, has produced a new guided tour, in collaboration with the Centraal Museum. This tour has been titled ‘Living, wishes and icons – from Rietveld to the Uithof’. The excursion illustrates some of Rietvelds important work in Utrecht, as well as some architectural highlights at the University Campus, the Uithof.

Icons of Utrecht
Rietveld and Utrecht are indissolubly connected with each other. After finishing his masterpiece, the Rietveld-Schröderhouse in 1924, Rietveld developed strong ideas about housing and mass production. Nevertheless he was asked to design several villas for the progressive elite throughout the Netherlands. Despite this, his heart stayed in Utrecht, where he was only successful in the late fifties, due to some social housing projects.

The Uithof is a known place for sublime modern architecture. Only since 1999 it is allowed to develop student-housing complexes at the Uithof. At this moment, three beautiful examples adorn the Utrecht University Campus. Besides student-housing, some famous architectural icons are to be found at the Uithof, like the University Library by architect Wiel Arets and the Educatorium by Rem Koolhaas.

Excursion
The excursion departs from the ticketoffice, Erasmuslaan 5. Participants of the excursion will get four guided indoor-visits; that is the Rietveld-Schröderhouse, the Rietveld model-residence at the Erasmuslaan, the Rietveld apartment at the Robijnhof furnished with furniture dating from the fifties and the University library at the Uithof. Moreover, the tour includes several guided outdoor-visits, that is some other work by Rietveld and three student-housing projects at the Uithof.
Transport to the different locations and buildings will take place by touring car. During the trip, an interesting documentary on Rietveld is shown in the bus.
The excursion will take three hours in total. De maximal amount of persons per group is fifteen. When a group counts over fifteen persons, the group will be split up. The costs for this special excursion are € 620,00 (taxes and entrance-fees included). The excursion can take place in English.

For bookings and further information, please contact Aorta:
phone: 0031 30 232 1686 or email: tours@aorta.nu