Restoration Rietveld Pavilion
Currently, the Rietveld Pavilion in the museum’s sculpture garden is subject to major restoration work, which means the pavilion will be temporarily closed to the public. The project will be carried out by the Rijksgebouwendienst (Dutch Government Buildings Agency).
Because the pavilion can no longer be properly and responsibly maintained through the regular maintenance, the Rijksgebouwendienst has decided to comprehensively restore the building. Prior to this decision, 8 research studies were carried out in the fields of architecture, building techniques, building history, materials expertise and construction.
The then Chief Government Architect (Mels Crouwel), in dialogue with the directorate of the Kröller-Müller Museum, expressed his views on how to approach the restoration. The pavilion will be carefully dismantled and rebuilt on the basis of the floor plans from 1965. This involves the use of contemporary materials with the appearance/texture of those originally used by Rietveld. Existing building materials will be reused as much as possible. Where no alternative can be found using contemporary materials, a replica will be made of the original. The realization activities begin in the first quarter of 2010; completion is planned for the third quarter of 2010.
The Rietveld pavilion was designed by Gerrit Rietveld in 1955 for the third international sculpture exhibition in Sonsbeek Park in Arnhem. It was subsequently dismantled and reconstructed at the Kröller-Müller Museum in the 1960’s, as a tribute to Rietveld. Rietveld’s heirs are involved in the restoration.
Photo: Walter Herfst, Rotterdam
Here you can download a booklet about the restauration