Housing Block
Erasmuslaan 9 
Utrecht
The Netherlands

Gerrit Rietveld 1931 

Before the construction of the highway, Mrs. Schroder (see Rietveld's Schroder House) had a clear view of Erasmuslaan. She purchased plot of land for Gerrit Rietveld to develop a larger scale housing project. She thought that by having Rietveld design housing across from her house she would ensure a good view out of her windows. Unfortunately, she didn't have control of the construction of the highway.

One building block consisted of a row of four houses. Erasmuslaan 9 was part of the first block that was built in 1930-1931. The next building block was built in 1935.

These housing blocks were very different from the Schroder house, as the primary colors used on the latter were replaced with white plastered walls and steel window frames. Clad in glass and steel, the face of the building allows for the transmission of a lot of sunlight inside the units. The design of the housing block was inspired more by the functionalist architectural movement around the 1930s than the De Stijl movement evident with Schroder House.

Erasmuslaan 9 was opened to the public as a model home as well as a showroom used to display Rietveld's furniture designs. The ground floor unit was made pretty open by once again utilizing portable partitions, similar to those of the Schroder House, to separate the rooms when required. Circulation stairs in the center of the building create an effect of the rooms/units spinning around the center of the building.

In 1999, Vereniging Hendrick de Keyser purchased Erasmuslaan 9 and restored it. Using a photograph that was taken in 1931, the Centraal Museum reconstructed the interior with replicated and original furniture. Erasmuslaan 9 is now once again shared with the public as a testament to the great work of Gerrit Rietveld, while the rest of the building block is being renovated and are for rent.

Wilma Kwan 2003

How to visit

You can take bus 4 from the central train station to the Hooghstraat, or another suggestion is to rent a bike. If biking from the central train station, head east towards Wilhelmina Park. Go through the park and you will be on Prins Hendriklaan. Once you pass Gerrit Rietveldhof you will see the office for the tour on your left hand side next to the Rietveld Schroder House. 

The visit of this building at Erasmuslaan 9 is part of the tour of the Rietveld Schroder House. The house is open for visits and reservations are required. For reservations please call +31 (0)30 2362 310 or fax to +31 (0)30 2332 006. Each tour only allows a maximum of 10 people. The tour is about 1.5 hours long. 

For more information please visit www.centraalmuseum.nl or call 
+31 (0)30 2362 362.

Books and other web sites

Click the link below either to see more information or to order direct from