Visitors to the Rietveld Academie can hardly miss it; since October there’s a bright pink house placed in front of the Rietveld building. The initiator, Leoke van Geffen, interviewed himself to tell you about the what and the why of the project.
What made you decide to build this house on the Rietveld terrain?
Leoke: "When I moved back to Amsterdam in September I was fed up with the fact that I was not able to find a place to stay at all! And if a place became available in Amsterdam, I just refused to pay the rent because I think that if everybody just accepts those insane prices, they will only get higher.
Of course, this has been a problem for many years in Amsterdam and other cities. And it will only get worse, if we do not act now.
I wanted to stand up for my right and so I built my own house, right in front of the school! I placed the house in this particular spot because the house is more than just a shelter for me. It’s a conversation piece! I want people reflect on what's going on, and stand up for their rights as well."
Leoke continues: "Besides being a shelter, it is also slowly turning into an alternative podium for everybody to extend their studies. There have been many exciting events and projects going on. From music performance to hairdressing sessions, flea markets, reading and writing workshops and way more…"