636 EllingBuffet
Made by Cassina
Designed by Gerrit Rietveld
Designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld in 1919, the 636 Elling Buffet stands as one of the founding artifacts of De Stijl, the Dutch movement that sought to reduce architecture, furniture, and space to their essential geometries. When the original interior was lost to fire, Rietveld himself oversaw a reconstruction for a 1951 exhibition, confirming the piece's significance well beyond its moment of creation.
Cassina now produces the buffet for the first time in its historic carpentry in Meda, working in close collaboration with the Rietveld heirs. The structure is built around a continuous supporting grid of solid wood, an honest skeleton from which surfaces, drawers, and compartments extend outward. Horizontal planes project dynamically against vertical members, composing a form that reads simultaneously as furniture and architecture.
- Designed by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, 1919
- Produced in Cassina's historic Meda carpentry
- Solid wood structure faithful to the De Stijl philosophy
- Developed in collaboration with the Rietveld heirs
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636 EllingBuffet
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the historical significance of the 636 Elling Buffet?
Rietveld designed the Elling Buffet in 1919 as part of a De Stijl interior commission. The original was lost in a fire, and Rietveld himself oversaw its reconstruction for a 1951 exhibition - a rare act of authorial reaffirmation that underscores the piece's importance to his body of work.
How does the Elling Buffet relate to De Stijl and neoplasticism?
De Stijl, the Dutch movement cofounded by Theo van Doesburg and Piet Mondrian, sought to reduce visual form to horizontal and vertical lines and primary colors. Rietveld translated this neoplastic philosophy directly into three-dimensional furniture, making pieces like the Elling Buffet inseparable from the movement's architectural legacy.
Who produces the 636 Elling Buffet today, and how is it made?
Cassina produces the 636 Elling Buffet at its historic carpentry workshop in Meda, Italy, in collaboration with the Rietveld heirs. The construction follows Rietveld's original structural logic - a load-bearing grid of solid wood to which surfaces and storage elements are composed.
What collection does the Elling Buffet belong to?
The piece belongs to Cassina's I Maestri program, which reissues canonical works by twentieth-century masters - including Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand, and Gio Ponti - produced under license or in collaboration with the designers' estates.
Is the Cassina 636 Elling Buffet made to order?
Yes, the 636 Elling Buffet is produced to order, as is customary for Cassina's I Maestri reissues. Lead times vary; consulting a design professional or a design expert is recommended for project planning.