HOW TO CONSTRUCT RIETVELD FURNITURE - J. NIEMEIJER & P. DRIJVER - 2001
This manual is essential for anyone who dreams of building their own furniture (like "Autoprogettazione ?" by Enzo Mari, available here).
It celebrates the fundamental idea of Rietveld: furniture is a simple and accessible construction, often made from basic materials (wooden slats, planks) that are easily available.
"HOW TO CONSTRUCT RIETVELD FURNITURE" is a collection of detailed construction plans for more than thirty iconic pieces of furniture designed by the Dutch architect and designer Gerrit Thomas Rietveld (1888-1964). The models include the famous Crate Chair, the "Military" line, the Red and Blue Chair, the Zig-Zag Chair, as well as stools, tables, and even children's furniture.
The authors, Peter Drijver and Johannes Niemeijer, have meticulously documented the pieces, providing diagrams, dimensions, and instructions to enable everyone to simply craft these 20th-century design icons with very few tools.
Publishing the plans was already in line with Rietveld’s spirit (he sold the plans for his "kratmeubels" or crate furniture during the war). The book extends this philosophy of constructive simplicity and autonomy.
The De Stijl Legacy: Rietveld’s furniture is the embodiment of the principles of the Dutch art movement De Stijl, founded in 1917. The design is reduced to its simplest expression: straight lines, orthogonal planes (at right angles), and the use of primary colors (red, blue, yellow, plus black and white).
Peter Drijver is best known for his work in documenting and preserving the architectural and design principles of the De Stijl movement and the work of Rietveld in particular. His approach is meticulous, seeking to ensure that the published plans faithfully correspond to Gerrit Rietveld’s original intentions and construction methods.
Johannes Niemeijer is associated with the research and technical expertise portion of the project. He contributed to deconstructing the assembly techniques and precise dimensions of the furniture. His work has helped transform these complex works of art into clear, actionable blueprints for the amateur or professional woodworker.