Bio

1900–04

Trains as a cabinetmaker at his father’s workshop in Utrecht

1904–08

Takes evening classes in applied art and architecture

1904–17

Works at the studio of the jeweller C.J.A. Begeer in Utrecht

1917–24

Runs his own furniture workshop at Adriaen van Ostadelaan 25, Utrecht

1918–23

First furniture experiments, including the Red Blue Chair

1919

Becomes involved with the De Stijl movement

1923

Participates in the exhibition Les Architectes du Groupe De Stijl, Galerie L’Effort Moderne, Paris

1924

Builts the Rietveld Schröder House for Truus Schröder, the widow of a lawyer, in Utrecht; Gerard van de Groenekan, Rietveld’s former apprentice, takes over the furniture workshop in November

1925–33

Runs the architecture office Schröder en Rietveld in the Rietveld Schröder House, collaborating with Truus Schröder on some of the projects that he realises during that time

1928

Founding member of the Congrès internationaux d’architecture moderne (CIAM) in La Sarraz, Switzerland

1933–64

Runs the Architectenbureau Rietveld at Oudegracht 55 I, Utrecht (1943–45 barred from practising during the German occupation)

1944–55

Teaches architecture and design at different Dutch universities

1951–52

Designs and participates in the exhibition De Stijl 1917–1928, shown at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Venice Biennial, and the Museum of Modern Art, New York

1958

First retrospective at the Centraal Museum Utrecht

1961

Establishes the architectural partnership Rietveld, Van Dillen en Van Tricht

1964

Made an honorary member of the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects (BNA) and awarded an honorary doctorate by Technische Hogeschool Delft (now Delft University of Technology)