Brutalist Pine Closet by Dom Hans van der Laan, Netherlands, 1970s

Custom-made Brutalist closet in pine by Dutch designer Dom Hans van der Laan from the 1970s. This cabinet was designed entirely in the style of the Bossche School that was developed by monk Dom Hans van der Laan and his apprentice Jan de Jong. The ideas of the Bossche School mainly revolved around applying a strict ratio system, also better known as the plastic number. This number represents a proportion based on our three-dimensional perception of the world. The design of this cabinet is also based on these special proportions. The cabinet doors close nicely and fall against a magnetic strip on the inside. Eight rows of copper nails not only serve as decoration but are also a typical feature that can be found in almost all designs of the Bossche School. We also see this row of nails on the outside of the cabinet. These outer parts are also prominent due to their thickness. When we open the doors we find four layers of storage space where the inside is also completely finished with pine wood veneer. The doors have two subtle round handles that also correspond in proportion to the nails, and the door hinges are placed at the same distance from each other. This is a special cabinet that exudes simplicity and sobriety, summarized in a design that unmistakably follows the aesthetic rules of the golden ratio. The condition of this cabinet is very good. We can say that this cabinet has suffered little from a slight discoloration of the wood and stains at the base. Provenance: This cabinet comes from a house in The Netherlands (Veghel) that was designed by Dom Hans van der Laan and had several of his furniture items in it.