Starting a Rietveld Build

[mn pete]

Here we go! I've admired Gerrit Rietveld's designs for years and have wanted to build a couple of his chairs for some time now.

http://secondwindworkshop.blogspot.com/ ... nning.html

 

[Jacob]

Here we go! I've admired Gerrit Rietveld's designs for years and have wanted to build a couple of his chairs for some time now.

http://secondwindworkshop.blogspot.com/ ... nning.html

I built one. It's surprisingly comfortable except the back is a bit low and the top hits the back of my head. I guess Reitveld was smaller than me. I'd add about 4" to the back.
You can buy the book with the measurements and other details, but I expect it's all out there on the web somewhere.

 

[kinsella]

Fantasitc, this was the first thing i ever put to paper, and in my day it was pencil and paper. i've actually drawn this in Sketchup if your interested. PM me and i'll email it over.

i have nowhere to put it so offered to build one for my mate who's an architect and he too didnt have any fitting location. So mine in on hold until i find a home to put it.
i've never sat in one, it does look beautiful but also uncomfortable for anything other than patio or conservatory type locations? where you putting it.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I suppose someone's got to like it. It's absolutely hideous.

 

[Racers]

I think if you hold a small striped flying insect it looks good, after all beauty is in the eye of the bee holder.

Pete

 

[Jacob]

I suppose someone's got to like it. It's absolutely hideous.

It's worth reading about it. Loads on the net. http://www.terraingallery.org/Anthony-Romeo-Chair.html
Also, in spite of appearances, it is actually comfortable.

 

[monkeybiter]

I think if you hold a small striped flying insect it looks good, after all beauty is in the eye of the bee holder.
Pete

That's worse than the chair!

 

[mn pete]

I know that there is a varied taste for this one! :lol:

I spoken to quite a few folks who own or have sat in them before and they all say how comfortable it is despite it's hard look.

@jacob - I'll keep that in mind when I come to the back. Thanks! Maybe I'll cut the back long and test it in place before committing to the original design. I would like one to be exactly true to the original though. I do have the book of his plans for about two dozen of his works, with the drawings and parts details.

@kinsella - I've got the book of plans, but thanks for the offer! I'm planning to put them in our front living room. We're going for a gallery type feel with some artwork on the wall as well. Lots of focus on modern works from the 1910's through 1950's in both furniture and art.

@Pete - Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! :lol:

 

[WandrinAndy]

Also, in spite of appearances, it is actually comfortable.

Yep.... except the back is a bit low and the top hits the back of one's head.

;-)

 

[Jacob]

You can read then WandrinAndy. That's good, well done!

 

[bugbear]

That chair looks almost prototypically "more art than furniture".

See also:

what-kind-of-furniture-do-you-hate-t65294.html

BugBear

 

[WandrinAndy]

You can read then WandrinAndy. That's good, well done!

It's a pleasure Jacob.... I can only but try to help!

 

[Jacob]

That chair looks almost prototypically "more art than furniture".

See also:

what-kind-of-furniture-do-you-hate-t65294.html

BugBear

More 'history of design' than art, though it was Mondrian who suggested the colour scheme. The original was plain dark hardwood.

Amongst other things it has an interesting structural detail which at first glance looks as though one could do better with a nut and bolt or something. This is the dowel linking the cross members - about 3/4" dia (as far as I can remember) which makes it stronger than a typical 3/8" but also has a large glue area to resist movement. The last one in locks the joint at the three way crossover like a Japanese puzzle, making an already strong joint impossible to separate. Cleverer than it looks!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

...at first glance looks as though it could be done better with a nut and bolt or something.............And the second..............and the third.............

 

[eribaMotters]

It's over 25 years since I made one of these chairs. It was for the previous owners of an "International Style" house that we had bought off them. The angles were comfortable and the sizes suited my [short 5' 8"] height. I do recall the only thing I was not 100% happy with was the contact made by the front stretcher rail with the back of my legs/ankles.
If you are looking for some artwork on a budget that would suit, you must consider prints of the work by Paul Klee.

Colin

 

[Benchwayze]

I think if you hold a small striped flying insect it looks good, after all beauty is in the eye of the bee holder.

Pete

:roll: Ohhhh That's awful! But I like it! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Benchwayze]

Hmmm.

It must have been designed by a person who had exceedingly short legs, an impervious Occipital bone and an elastic spine.
Unless the designer never sat in the thing. Mind you, such a seat might help keep HGV drivers awake.

 

[Greedo]

I suppose someone's got to like it. It's absolutely hideous.

If you can design a chair that in nearly 100 years looks like it was designed in 2112 and doesnt look like it is 100 years old in design then give me a shout. I'd love to see it. If you don't know the history behind this chair, what he was trying to achieve etc... then you don't understand chair design in my opinion.

 

[Greedo]

Here we go! I've admired Gerrit Rietveld's designs for years and have wanted to build a couple of his chairs for some time now.

http://secondwindworkshop.blogspot.com/ ... nning.html

Love to see your version. Love this chair.

See the real challenge though it's to build it from just photographs. Throw away the plans and do it from eye working out the ergonomics from doing your own full size rod from taking measurements from chairs you have in the house. Far greater challenge as the actual build is not that difficult.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I suppose someone's got to like it. It's absolutely hideous.

If you can design a chair that in nearly 100 years looks like it was designed in 2112 and doesnt look like it is 100 years old in design then give me a shout. I'd love to see it. If you don't know the history behind this chair, what he was trying to achieve etc... then you don't understand chair design in my opinion.

No , sorry, it looks as if it were designed by a martian who didn't know what wood was, and had only seen a human being in a cartoon drawn by someone who couldn't draw.