I still remember the first time I came face to face with Elements of Houses by Lode Pemmelaar (1942–1997). It was early 2024, when I – together with my fellow trainee conservators – had the chance to restore this seven-meter-wide artwork. Right away, I was captivated by its bright colors and geometric shapes. Later on, we discovered Pemmelaar had drawn inspiration from a set of blocks made by the German brand Vero—a popular toy in the mid-twentieth century.
Pemmelaar originally created this piece in 1978 for the Central Directorate of Public Housing. It was designed to cover an entire wall in the large conference room of their new office in Zoetermeer. Thanks to the so-called ‘visual arts percentage scheme’ – which allocates a small percentage of public building construction budgets to art commissions – this project became a reality. Unfortunately, the Central Directorate eventually moved back to The Hague, leaving the artwork without its intended home. Ultimately, Elements of Houses found its way into the national collection of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE).
Looking back on the restoration work, I realized just how substantial and meticulously arranged this piece is. Its separate panels need to be mounted in precise order, almost like putting a set of blocks together. While working on it, I couldn’t help imagining Pemmelaar himself once shifting those blocks around, searching for the perfect composition.
Shortly after we completed the restoration, the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning was looking to decorate several spaces. It felt almost too good to be true: Elements of Houses would return to a setting that suits it perfectly—the realm of public housing. Though it’s not the same meeting room in Zoetermeer, it’s wonderful to see this piece ‘come home’ in its own way.
By the way, there are still 17 other screen prints and paintings by Pemmelaar in the RCE’s collection. These are also available on loan, so who knows—perhaps more of his vivid compositions will soon pop up in government buildings or elsewhere, keeping Pemmelaar’s legacy alive.
Elements of Houses displayed at the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning
(image source: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/02/12/ministers-over-de-kunst-in-hun-werkkamer-politiek-is-een-zwaar-beroep-vak-en-dan-is-het-mooi-om-iets-zachts-aan-je-muur-te-hebben-a4882813)
Building Block Set by Vero
Want to know more? Check out these sources:
https://kennis.cultureelerfgoed.nl/index.php/Lode_Pemmelaar_(1942-1997)
https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/02/12/ministers-over-de-kunst-in-hun-werkkamer-politiek-is-een-zwaar-beroep-vak-en-dan-is-het-mooi-om-iets-zachts-aan-je-muur-te-hebben-a4882813
https://www.academia.edu/128195491/Kijk_Het_oog_van_de_roofridder