Winter is approaching, so it’s time to make your interior extra comfortable and cozy. An armchair is essential for that. From October 20th to December 31st, 2023, when you purchase a sofa or armchair, you will receive a second armchair for half the price!
Our collection of armchairs consists of iconic designs, such as the SZ 14 by Walter Antonis and the Press Room Chair by Gerrit Rietveld.
Promo conditions
Duration: October 20 to December 31, 2023
When two different armchairs are purchased, the discount will be applied to the cheapest version
We are proud to introduce Spectrum’s very first official accessories collection, in collaboration with Studio RENS. With this collection of accessories by world-renowned designers, classic designs from the past are given a new, colourful look.
Design of the times
With this collection, we pay tribute to the object. To functionality and ingenuity, to a sense of form and attention to detail. In short, to designs that stand the test of time. With classics by leading pioneers of the past and innovative designs by forward-thinkers of today.
The collection consists of four different products. The first item is the IJhorst stool, designed by Constant Nieuwenhuys in 1953 and is available in three different colour combinations: black with yellow, cobalt blue with black red and grey with red. Also from Constant Nieuwenhuys, are the Utrecht – DW 01 wall shelves (1956), which are available in four different colours: orange, black-red, cobalt blue and black. The coat rack, or DZ 05, was designed by Friso Kramer and available in black and yellow. The last item in the collection is the Benno mirror, designed by Benno Premsela in 1956. This accessory comes in two sizes (Ø50 and Ø100) in four different colours: natural, black, green and cobalt blue.
More info
Want to know more? Here you will find all information about the products and the designers. You can read the corresponding press release here.
Spectrum is part of RSGA Design, a leading Dutch company for interior brands that prioritize timeless and sustainable design, local production and craftsmanship. In addition to Spectrum, Rietveld Originals, furniture factory Gelderland and lighting brand Atelier Artiforte are also part of RSGA Design as independent companies. These high-end labels all have their own strong brand identity and a special heritage.
Would you like to know more about the RSGA Design brands? Browse the ‘Timeless Design for Generations’ catalogue below or download the catalogue here.
DISCOVER DETAILS ONLY A TRUE CONNOISSEUR WILL NOTICE
Exceptional design is in the detail and a perfect example is the SZ 02 armchair, designed by Martin Visser in 1960. While some may not immediately recognize what is so special about this design, true design lovers will be immediately intrigued by this armchair. We would like to take you through all the ‘hidden’ details of the SZ 02, which make this armchair a true work of art.
At first glance
The SZ 02 exudes minimalism. This makes the armchair timeless and versatile, but not immediately a true classic. Until you look further and are surprised by all the ‘hidden’ details that can be found in the design. Are you still with us?
It’s all in the detail
If you take the time to have a good look at the SZ 02 armchair, you will probably notice the striking stitching in the seat and back. These chunky lines recur throughout the design and therefore have a grand effect on the chair’s appearance. In addition, the entire cover, including the saddle leather armrests, shows embossing along the entire edge, a line that subtly emphasises the straight and sleek shape.
Besides these particular treatments of the saddle leather, it is also definitely worthwhile to look at the finish of the chrome frame with some extra attention. Instead of bending or rounding it off, Martin Visser has opted for sharp corners that flow into each other through a so-called butt weld. A technique that was hardly used in the early 1960s. The top edges of the pipe are tightly and squarely closed, a detail that is taken for granted but provokes admiration from the design enthusiast.
The strong saddle leather requires craftsmanship in processing and has the natural property of stretching through use, causing the cover to form slightly to the body. To meet this property, Visser added some special and also functional elements.
One of the most unique details of the SZ 02 is the buckle on the back of the backrest. The saddle leather on the back surface can be slightly tightened with the buckle.
A beautifully hidden detail is the saddle leather lacing at the seat’s bottom. Like the buckle at the back, this leather lace allows you to pull the saddle leather tighter by yourself over time.
Various options
The SZ 02 is available with a brushed chrome or black epoxy frame. In addition, three colours of saddle leather are available: natural, dark brown and black. Please note as previously mentioned, saddle leather is a natural product and will discolour through use and under the influence of light. The latter is especially true for natural saddle leather and creates a characteristic and lively image. And did you know that an SZ armchair is also available in pulp cane? You can view this version here.
Small scars in the leather, caused by natural conditions such as insect bites or barbed wire, are inherent in the material. We try to cut along these irregularities when punching the hide or will incorporate it on the back or underside. However, this is not always possible. Remember, it’s not a defect, but rather a proof of authenticity. Is your SZ armchair in need of new upholstery after years of service? We will be happy to arrange this for you. Read about it here.
Would you like to drop by and try it out? You can do so at one of our sales outlets.
Discover all designs from the Spectrum collection! Each Spectrum piece of furniture has its own story, we tell them in our catalogue. Get to know our design classics and find products from contemporary designers. Browse our catalogue below or download the catalogue here.
October 2021 | In 2020 Richard Hutten, Carolina Wilcke & Reinier Bosch, Piet Hein Eek, Kiki van
Eijk, Marcel Wanders, Jan des Bouvrie and Sabine Marcelis brought an ode to the oeuvre of Martin Visser. The results of this ‘Tribute to Visser’ can be seen during the Dutch Design Week at
the Spectrum Studio in Eindhoven.
‘Tribute to Visser’ is an ode to the furniture collection that leading designer Martin Visser (1922-2009) created for Spectrum in 1960. Visser’s collection produced many design classics, including the famous BR 02 sofa bed.
An ode from 7 top designers
To honor Visser’s contribution to design history, 7 top Dutch designers were inspired by a piece of furniture by Visser
for a new design: Richard Hutten, Carolina Wilcke & Reinier Bosch, Piet Hein Eek, Kiki van Eijk, Marcel Wanders, Jan des
Bouvrie and Sabine Marcelis each made a new design.
The result was shown last year at the Centraal Museum Utrecht in the exhibition ‘The eye-opening sofa bed’. These
designs will be brought together once more, especially for the Dutch Design Week and can be seen from 16 to 24
October 2021 at the Spectrum Studio (Piet Hein Eek area) in Eindhoven.
Martin Visser & Spectrum
In the 1950s Martin Visser becomes head of Spectrum’s design department. As one of the best-known Dutch designers,
he connects other important designers to the furniture brand, including Friso Kramer, Constant Nieuwenhuys, Benno
Premsela and Gerrit Rietveld. The furniture collection that Visser designed for the brand in 1960, with the BR 02 sofa
bed as its best-known icon, turned out to be a big hit. The sofa bed became a true design classic and, like many of
Visser’s other popular designs, is still in production at Spectrum.
Introduction new furniture
‘Tribute to Visser’ has also led to the introduction of various new furniture pieces in the Spectrum collection. The armchairs MVPHE (Piet Hein Eek), the PUK SZ 19 (Kiki van Eijk) and the re-introduction of the BZ 63 sofa and the SZ 63 armchair can be admired for the first time in Eindhoven. A large part of the current Spectrum collection will also be on display, including items by designers such as Gerrit Rietveld, Constant Nieuwenhuys and Aart van Asseldonk.
Download here the press release ‘Tribute to Visser – DDW 2021’
Read here all about Tribute to Visser, the designers and their designs.
Martin Visser’s SZ 63 armchair back in the collection!
True classics are timeless, as is the iconic SZ 63 armchair by Martin Visser. In 1960, Visser made this design for our collection as Spectrum’s leading designer and art director. And now, 60 years later, this characteristic chair is back!
The SZ 63 chair is a typical Martin Visser design, with its minimalist and clean lines. A personification of his ‘Form Follows Function’ design philosophy. We are proud to bring back a classic like this to our collection.
A CLASSIC FROM A LEADING DESIGNER
In 1954 Spectrum, then based in Bergeijk, asked Martin Visser to head its design department. It turned out to be a golden move. Visser’s innovative ideas and his inquisitive open mind not only gave Spectrum a new face. They also led to high-profile Dutch design classics that are still being produced today. The BR 02 sofa bed is Visser’s most famous design. In addition, the SZ 01 and SZ 02 armchairs, SE 05, SE 06, SE 07 and SE 69 dining chairs and TE 06 dining table have always been available. And now, 60 years after its launch, we’re once again including the SZ 63 in our collection!
Original SZ 63 armchair from the 1960s
Designer Martin Visser (1922-2009)
In the 1950s, art director Martin Visser introduced ‘Form Follows Function’ as a guiding principle for his designs and the composition of the Spectrum collection. He wanted to make accessible furniture with as few and simple materials and shapes as possible. During his 20 years as head designer, Visser introduced big names to Spectrum. Gerrit Rietveld, Constant Nieuwenhuys, Kho Liang Ie and Benno Premsela, among others, designed furniture for the collection.
CHARACTERISTICS AND UPHOLSTERY
The SZ 63 has a square frame in epoxy black with solid wenge armrests. For the upholstery, you can choose from various types of leather and fabrics. Like the other designs in our collection, the SZ 63 is produced in the Netherlands with sustainable materials and according to the highest production standards.
SZ 63 armchair (69 x 78 x 72 cm WxDxH)
MORE INFORMATION OR VIEWING THE SZ 63?
Are you interested in SZ 63 and would you like more information? Or would you like to take a look at the SZ 63 chair in your neighbourhood? Fill in the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible.
The Paperback wallsystem is a bestseller in our collection for more than 10 years. A design that takes up minimal space and at the same time has a striking appearance. As a single piece, together with others or even filling the wall, Paperback pays tribute to the book in every room!
Paperback was designed in 2009 by Eric Sloot and Paulien Berendsen from Studio Parade and is still one of their most loved pieces of furniture: “Paperback is pure, playful and designed out of love for books. The design serves the content.”
Colous and variations
The modular wall system Paperback is available in two colors: white (RAL 9010) and anthracite (RAL 7024). The widths are 30 cm, 60 cm and 120 cm. Paperback is always 60 cm high and can perfectly be piled up horizontal or vertically. The backboard is attached to the wall with four screws, after which the 13 shelves are slid in. Three shelves have a “tab” that can accommodate larger books or magazines. The shelves are impact, wear and scratch resistant and made of a durable Trespa with a high load-bearing capacity.
Interior inspiration
To give you an idea of the application possibilities of the Paperback in the interior, we show you a number of references here. For example, the Paperback as a complete wall unit, stacked horizontally and vertically. Or as a sideboard, with several pieces next to each other.
View paperback or request more information?
Would you like to receive more information about the possibilities or would you like to view the Paperback wallsystem? Fill in the form below and we will contact you.
The Tangled series that Carolina Wilcke designed for our collection has been a success for years. To make the series suitable for a wider range of interiors, we have expanded the series with a square coffee table, plus, the coffee table and sideboard are now also available in the colour taupe.
With the pure and graphic interplay of lines, designer Carolina Wilcke combines elegance and functionality in her furniture. The fact that Carolina is a goldsmith as well as a designer is clearly visible in the refined details of the characteristic Tangled series. We are expanding the series, consisting of a coffee table, cabinet, show case and side table, so that Carolina’s Tangled designs can be combined even better with different styles and interiors.
New product: Tangled Square
The Tangled coffee table already came in two different sizes: size M (130 x 60 x 38 cm) and size L (160 x 74 x 38 cm). We are now adding the Tangled Square, a square coffee table measuring 130 x 130 x 37 cm. Ideal for use as a coffee table in a spacious sitting area, for example in combination with a large corner sofa. This square version, in contrast to the rectangular versions, has no movable part. All versions of the coffee tables can be executed in clear or smoke glass. In addition, a dark smoked oak veneer top is available for the middle and/or lower tableau. The frame is lacquered in matt black or in the new colour taupe.
Tangled Square coffee table (130 x 130 cm)
NEW COLOUR: IN ADDITION TO MATT BLACK NOW ALSO AVAILABLE IN TAUPE
To make the Tangled coffee tables and the Tangled sideboard suitable for almost every interior style, we have added a new colour to the steel frame. In addition to black (RAL 9005), the epoxy frame is now also available in taupe (RAL 7006). There is also a choice of black or brass coloured screws.
Tangled with taupe epoxy frame
Taupe frame with black screws
BLACK OR BRASS SCREWS
The entire Tangled series comes standard with black screws. On request both the black and taupe coloured frame can now also be finished with brass screws. This applies to all products in the Tangled series.
Tangled Cabinet with brass screws
Tangled Cabinet with black screws
RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION OR SEE THE TANGLED SERIES?
Would you like to receive more information about the (new) options of the Tangled series or would you like to know where you can have a look at the Tangled products in your area? Fill in the form below and we will contact you.
Soon in the collection: Piet Hein Eek’s ode to Martin Visser
Piet Hein Eek has designed an distinctive armchair with round shapes, as an ode to his friend and designer Martin Visser (Spectrum art director in the 50s and 60s). The result, the MVPHE armchair, is now available in our collection as a First Edition!
Piet Hein Eek’s tribute to Martin Visser was already on display the last few months at the Centraal Museum Utrecht, as part of Tribute to Visser. Eek’s MVPHE armchair will be included in our collection as a 30 piece-First Edition, and can now be pre-ordered. Each copy is numbered and provided with a certificate. The armchair is upholstered in the woolen fabric Tonus from Kvadrat and you can choose from 3 colours: Tonus 131, Tonus 129 en Tonus 615.
Tonus 131
Tonus 129
Tonus 615
MVPHE – Piet Hein Eek
The compact and voluptuous design of the MVPHE (Martin Visser & Piet Hein Eek’s initials) does not directly suggest it was inspired by Visser’s form-follows-function imagery. Nevertheless, Piet Hein Eek’s starting point, the SZ 73 armchair from 1968, is clearly reflected in his design. Piet Hein Eek: “When I saw the SZ 73 I immediately knew: I’m going to do something with it. I can make an archetypal ‘late’ Martin Visser with it. I took the way the armrest sits on the woodwork as a starting point, but I enlarged various elements. This way I transformed a 1968 model into my own design style”.
MVPHE armchair in Tonus 615
Detail of the MVPHE in Tonus 129
Design drawing by Piet Hein Eek (2020)
SZ 73 – Martin Visser
When designing the SZ 73 in 1968, Visser was clearly carried away by the zeitgeist. The construction of the SZ 73 is clearly inspired by Gerrit Rietveld’s crate chair (1934). However, its exuberant upholstery almost completely obscures its view.
As with most Spectrum models of the time, the SZ 73 was developed as a series, allowing the buyer to design his room with a sofa in the same style (BZ 73-75).
SZ 73 by Martin Visser (1968)
MVPHE FIRST EDITION NOW AVAILABLE AS A PRE-ORDER
Would you like to receive more information about the MVPHE armchair or would you like to pre-order one? Fill in the form below and we will contact you.
Soap Edition SE 69 by Sabine Marcelis 18-25 January in Gallery Eenwerk
This year it’s been 60 years since Spectrum introduced the first large Martin Visser collection. His designs formed the basis for our DNA and are still in collection.
To celebrate this, we asked seven Dutch designers to pay tribute to Visser’s work.
The kick off of this special project will take place this week with the interpretation of designer Sabine Marcelis. She transformed the comfortable chair SE 69 designed in 1960, into a true piece of art. This SE 69 SOAP EDITION is released in a Limited Edition of 25 pieces.
Sabine Marcelis’ career is developing in a dazzling speed. In 2019 she won the prestigious Design Prize as Newcommer of the year and the Elle Deco International Design Award for Young designer of the year. She works together with fashion houses Fendi and Givenchy. At this moment she has a solo exhibition in the Barcelona pavilion of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Recently she was appointed as Ambassador of the upcoming edition of the Dutch Design week in Eindhoven and started 2020 with winning the Wallpaper* Designer of the year 2020 award. They honoured her for widening the spectrum of what light, glass and resin can do!
We are very proud to open her exhibition in Amsterdam on 18 January at 16 h.
You are very welcome to attend this opening. We would appreciate hearing from you then.
Register
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The exhibition will be shown from 18-25 January in
The SE 69 Soap Edition is the first of 7 designs, which are part of the exhibition “The eye-opening sofa bed – Seven designers respond to Martin Visser’s classics”.
This exhibition is shown from 14 March 2020 on, in the Centraal Museum Utrecht. The other designers, making a tribute to Martin Visser are Marcel Wanders, Jan des Bouvrie, Carolina Wilcke & Reinier Bosch, Piet Hein Eek, Kiki van Eijk en Richard Hutten.
At Spectrum we combine design classics with strong contemporary designs where functionality and good comfort are paramount. Timeless design and the use of the highest quality materials represent our approach to make durable and characteristic furniture.
From hotels, the catering industry and offices to luxury homes: discover the project references in which Spectrum furniture has been applied. Browse our project book below or download the project book here.
The history of Spectrum goes back to the start of the Second World War. Not everyone is aware that Gerrit Rietveld was part of that history, almost from the beginning.
Due to the limited supply of raw materials, the sharp drop in demand and the machines advanced by the occupying forces, weaving mill De Ploeg was forced to change its operations during the war years. Initially, blackout materials were still being produced, but that proved insufficient. This led to the start of a new furniture company: ‘t Spectrum was founded in Bergeijk in 1941 (later Spectrum).
De Ploeg’s director Piet Blijenburg came up with the idea of making interior products and accessories from materials that were locally available, such as pit reeds, rushes and wood. The collection was diverse: trays, napkin rings, coat racks and cots were made, as well as bags of reed and dolls with clothing from De Ploeg’s fabrics.
By founding ‘t Spectrum, Blijenburg prevented its employees from being employed by the occupying forces, and the relationship with the country’s customers was maintained. In the early years, a Supervisory Board was appointed, consisting of the architects Eschauzie, Jansen and Gerrit Rietveld. The latter was only announced after the war. Because Rietveld refused to become a member of the Culture Room set up by the occupying forces, he was not allowed to be active in his own working area. As a member of the Supervisory Board, Rietveld was closely involved in the development of the first Spectrum collection.
A series of stools, designed in 1956 by Gerrit Rietveld for Spectrum
The chair that Rietveld designed for De Ploeg and Spectrum director Roelof van Daalen
It is unknown how the contact between Rietveld and Blijenburg came about, but it was the beginning of a long collaboration. The first years after the war were mainly focused on the successful continuation of De Ploeg and Spectrum. Bag production stopped and Spectrum focused on modern and affordable wooden furniture. When Martin Visser moved from De Bijenkorf to Bergeijk in the early 1950s, his relationship with Rietveld received a new impulse. Rietveld was commissioned to design Visser’s private house and designed various pieces of furniture for Spectrum. Our archives contain drawings of a bed, coffee tables, a series of stools and a chair. The chair was Roelof van Daalen’s desire; he was then De Ploeg en Spectrum’s director and Rietveld admired him for both his furniture designs and architecture. It was Van Daalen who commissioned Rietveld in 1957 to build his own house and De Ploeg’s new factory in Bergeijk. This special factory building is now a national monument.
The factory building of weaving mill De Ploeg after a large-scale renovation in 2017
A new chapter was added to the rich history of Holland’s most famous architect and furniture designer with Spectrum, only a few years ago. Since 2014 we proudly carry the Rietveld Originals collection. As a result, a large number of Rietveld’s furniture designs are once again available through a Dutch design label. For example, the Press Room Chair, the New Amsterdam armchair, the Steltman chair and the Armchair for Metz&Co are all part of the Spectrum collection.
As a Spectrum fan you are of course aware of it: the Martin Visser sofa bed from 1960. You would recognize it anywhere, and yet there are different versions and comparable models from the same period. How do you recognize a real Martin Visser sofa?
Martin Visser designed his first series of sofas for Spectrum in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His most famous design, the BR 02 sofa, is now a true design classic. In addition to Visser, however, there have also been other designers who have designed similar (sleeper) sofas. However, most of his contemporaries’ versions were only produced for a relatively short period of time, while the BR 02 sofa bed became a design icon in no time and has always remained in production at Spectrum. After all these years, Visser’s BR 02 is still at the top of the design ladder.
But how can you tell if it’s an original Martin Visser sofa bed? Especially when you are looking for a vintage sofa or have a fixer-upper in mind, you want to be sure that it is a real Spectrum sofa. We give you some pointers here.
NAME // In Spectrum’s early years, the designs were given a name that was built up as a code. In the case of sofas, this means that the name begins with BR (Bank Rusten, a sofa bed) or BZ (Bank Zitten, a sofa with a fixed seat).
FRAME // Visser’s BR 02 sofa bed from 1960 has a round frame. This followed his earlier version of the sofa where he used a square tube. Are you looking at a sofa with a rectangular frame? There is no way this could be a Visser design. The frame always has a kink at the height of the backrest at the back so that the frame follows the line of the sofa. The backrest is kept optically ‘separate’ from the frame by means of spacers.
SPRINGS // The first Spectrum sofas were fitted with jute lashing straps. Later, in the 70’s, these were replaced by nozag springs – a kind of zigzag spring – which are held together by strong elastic bands. As of 1988, lashing straps are being used again, thus returning the original production method to its former glory. Today’s straps are made from black elastic material.
UPHOLSTERY // The upholstery of the Spectrum sofas is always tight and angular, so that the straight shapes of the sofa are shown to full advantage. The upholstery is always stuck to the sofa; removable covers are not available. Depending on the model, the relation between the seat and the back can be different. However, there is always a considerable space between the back and the seat, so that the backrest ‘floats’. If you have a Martin Visser sofa and would like to know more about the possibilities of upholstering, click here.
SLEEPMECHANISM // The BR 02 sofa’s sleeper function is created by simply tilting the seat forward with one simple movement, so that the seat lies flat. This lever mechanism is clearly visible under the sofa, and consists of a few separate blocks, to which the seat is suspended, as it were, in the side panels. Visser designed one two-person sofa bed, the BR 49. In this design the second bed is under the seat. The back of Visser sofas is never flat in sleep mode, the sleeper function is only in the position of the seat.
DATE OF PRODUCTION PERIOD // In the 60’s and 70’s the Spectrum sofas were provided with a production date, by means of two digits. The first number indicates the month, the second the year. Depending on webbing or nozag springs, the decade becomes clear. The stamps are placed in the wooden lines on a short side of the seat, and are visible when you look at the sofa from the bottom. For example, a sofa with 37 plus webbing is produced in March 1967, a sofa with 82 plus nozag springs dates from August 1972. Furniture from the end of the 70’s is no longer provided with a visible production date.
In conclusion, if it is a Martin Visser sofa bed, it belongs to the Spectrum collection. Visser never designed for other companies or collections.
If you have a sofa at home or if you are eyeing one, and you are still in doubt, feel free to send us pictures. Images of the underside of the seat and of the frame, in particular, often give us enough information to be able to give you a conclusive answer. Please mail to info@spectrumdesign.nl and you will be hearing from us!
De Kazerne – Home of Design is the creative hotspot of Eindhoven. With exhibitions, lectures, a restaurant and the newly opened design hotel, this place offers everything in terms of luxury and design.
The 8-room hotel is located in the old Marechaussee barracks from 1825, which gave this place its name. In the luxury lofts and penthouses, the guest is completely surrounded by world-class design designs. Various Spectrum designs were chosen by Kazerne to furnish the rooms. In addition, you can dine exclusively and intimately at fine dining restaurant Benz at Kazerne. Here, while sitting at our Martin Visser dining table, you will experience a special gastronomic experience!
The architects of Space Encounters present ‘THE MUSEUM’ during the Salone del Mobile at the Palazzo Clerici in Milan. Gerrit Rietveld’s New Amsterdam will make its international debut in this exceptional setting. The Museum gives you the opportunity to meet the quality and potential of the Dutch creative industry within a single experience.
We welcome you during the Milan Design Week!
Date: 9-14 april
Location: Palazzo Clerici
Address: Via Clerici 5, 20121 Milaan
Gerrit Rietveld designed the New Amsterdam armchair in 1937, for the ‘New Amsterdam’ steamship. This Holland America Line flagship made its first trip to New York on 10 May 1938. The chair was part of a complete interior design that Rietveld made for a first-class cabin.
Want to know more about the New Amsterdam? Click here.
On November 3, 1958, a very special company meets in Parisian Restaurant Laurent on Avenue Gabriel. Earlier that day the new UNESCO building in the French capital was opened and the client invited all architects involved to celebrate. The main architects were Bernard Zehrfuss, Walter Gropius and Pier Luigi Nervi, but thanks to contributions from various UN member states, large parts of the building and interior were drawn by the world’s best architects. Among them was Gerrit Rietveld who made the design for the ‘Press Room’. A place where journalists were able to withdraw to report on what was happening at UNESCO. Because Rietveld circulated the menu during the evening, with the request to sign it, we know exactly who his table guests were.
On the menu, in addition to Rietveld and the chief architects’ signatures, you will recognize those of Le Corbusier, Hans Wegner, Marcel Breuer, Walter Gropius, Isami Noguchi and Ernesto Nathan Rogers, among others. Remarkably, Karel Appel’s signature is also on the menu. He lived in Paris at the time and previously won the UNESCO prize.
Press Room Chair
De Press Room Chair is in 1958 ontworpen door Gerrit Rietveld voor het UNESCO gebouw in Parijs. Rietveld ontwierp de fauteuil als comfortabele lounge stoel aan de leestafel voor journalisten in de persruimte. Door het krappe budget en beperkte tijd, werd het ontwerp echter niet uitgevoerd en zag Rietveld zich genoodzaakt ze te vervangen door meubels die hij eerder dat jaar voor de Wereldtentoonstelling in Brussel had gemaakt. Gelukkig zijn de originele ontwerpen, tekeningen en maquettes bewaard gebleven waardoor de Press Room Chair in 2014 alsnog is uitgebracht.
Design connoisseur of today about the sofa of yesteryear
The BR 02 sofa bed, a proven classic, a 1960 design. The clear construction and minimalistic design language make this sofa withstand the different style periods easily. What would this sofa look like with all the extra knowledge, (production) possibilities and materials that are now available? We asked some of today’s industry peers how they see the sofa. And would they like to change anything?
THOMAS EURLINGS INTERIOR AND PRODUCT DESIGNER
“The sofa has become an archetype of Dutch design from this period. The archetype of a Dutch sofa, even. In many respects – format, multi-functionality, and transparency – it fits the Dutch mentality perfectly. Practical for small spaces, while it does not look out of place in large ones either.”
www.thomaseurlings.com
AART VAN ASSELDONK PRODUCT DESIGNER AND ARTIST
“Martin Visser was so good because he worked in an idiosyncratic, minimalist way. Industrial frames and material combinations. Purely technical, no embellishment. I wouldn’t change much about the BR 02, given the chance.”
www.aartvanasseldonk.com
PAUL LINSE DESIGNER AND INTERIOR ARCHITECT
“To me, this sofa is pure nostalgia. In our family it used to play a central role: a natural object on which people lived. Later it ended up in my own house as an heirloom, where it has since taken a prominent place among other classics. This has been the case for decades, without being superseded by newer options. The charismatic and subdued design retains its timeless power.”
www.studiolinse.com
EDWIN VAN ONNA PUBLICIST AND CURATOR
“A great sitting/sleeping sofa with the sleek functionalist look of the 1960s. The flat backrest and seat allow you to “actively sit” on this Spectrum classic. A very airy and compact design, perfectly fitting into the interior of the small post-war houses. I wouldn’t personally change anything about it. The design is rock solid.”
In 1960 Martin Visser designed an armchair and a chair with a rattan seat and back. Just like his colleagues Marcel Breuer and Poul Kjærholm, Visser designed this furniture in three versions: in fabric, in harness leather, and in rattan.
Rattan is made from the solid core of rattan stems that are peeled to the desired thickness. The result is a bundle of highly flexible strands, natural in colour, which are then braided into the frame. Up to 320 metres of pit cane will go into one armchair! The weaving is carried out by hand by specialised professionals. Pit cane exposed to light discolours over time, bringing the rattan work increasingly to life.
