Step inside a modern Utrecht house on the market

white geometric shapes of Modernist Utrecht house by Mart van Schijndel — (Image credit: Imre Csány_DAPh)

A modern Utrecht house, one of Europe’s most visionary residences, is up for sale. The architect Mart van Schijndel (1943-1999) built it for himself in 1992 in the historic core of Utrecht, utilising the brick walls and wood beams of a former glass warehouse. It was awarded the prestigious Rietveld Prize and became the city’s youngest municipal monument. But it’s tucked away and would have remained little-known but for the dedication of current owner Natascha Drabbe, who has lovingly maintained every detail and established a Foundation to offer tours and ensure its survival. Now, Drabbe is moving abroad and seeking a worthy custodian for this unique treasure.

Step inside this modernist Utrecht house

Nature compelled the Dutch to be inventive: much of their land was reclaimed from the sea. Architects have built on that tradition, from the canal houses of the Golden Age to the playful post-modernism of van Schijndel, the exuberant expressions of MVRDV, UN Studio and other adventurous offices.

This is matched by a lasting legacy in 20th century architecture, and the city of Utrecht boasts several buildings by the modernist architecture master Gerrit Rietveld, most notably the colourful geometric house he built for Truus Schröder in 1924.

That brilliant experiment may have inspired Van Schijndel to create a total work of art for himself. Behind the enigmatic façade, with its plaster walls striped in lavender and grey and a few small windows, you step into a lofty living room, bathed in natural light from two trapezoidal patios. Glass walls swing open on silicon hinges, blurring the boundary between indoors and outside.

An unrailed flight of steps ascend to the primary suite and office-bedroom on the mezzanine. The architect designed cut and folded plywood furniture, bookshelves, lighting and vases - almost everything but the Rietveld armchairs and sofa.

Newly graduated as an architectural historian, Drabbe began a freelance project at van Schijndel’s studio and eventually married him. She describes the house as an autobiographical project: 'His passions and fascinations show through in the details.' It cast its spell on her and prompted her to launch the Iconic Houses Network, a support group for over 200 modern house museums around the world.

Tirelessly, she acts as its public face and advocate for preservation, steadily expanding the membership, organising conferences, making videos and encouraging curators to collaborate. But the van Schijndel house remained her first love, and it challenged her to maintain its integrity. Its tranquillity and privacy, spatial daring and ingenious furnishings should prove equally rewarding for the next fortunate owner.

The Utrecht house by Mart van Schijndel is on the market through DSTRCT Real Estate | Forbes Global Properties

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Michael Webb Hon. AIA/LA has authored 30 books on architecture and design, most recently California Houses: Creativity in Context; Architects’ Houses; and Building Community: New Apartment Architecture, while editing and contributing essays to a score of monographs. He is also a regular contributor to leading journals in the United States, Asia and Europe. Growing up in London, he was an editor at The Times and Country Life, before moving to the US, where he directed film programmes for the American Film Institute and curated a Smithsonian exhibition on the history of the American cinema. He now lives in Los Angeles in the Richard Neutra apartment that was once home to Charles and Ray Eames.