Utrecht Sofa
Rietveld's 1935 Utrecht armchair as a deep, generously padded sofa, by Cassina.
1200 × 700 × 850 mm
Source: technical drawing image — 637 12/32 two-seat sofa — published as W 120 × D 85 × H 70 cm
1935
Description
Overview
The Utrecht Sofa by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld is the sofa counterpart of the Utrecht armchair, which the page dates to 1935. Cassina's headline calls it "an icon of Neoplasticism": thanks to the depth of its seat and generous padding, the sofa keeps the aesthetic features and level of comfort of the armchair. The reference model shown here is the two-seat 637 12/32, 120 cm wide, 85 cm deep and 70 cm high; a three-seat version, 637 03/04, is 204 cm wide and drawn with a curved plan.
Construction
A loadbearing frame of tubular steel with elastic webbing, for the seat and the backrest, carries polyurethane foam and polyester batting padding. The page names the stitching as a blanket stitch or a zig zag stitch.

Specifications
- 637 12/32: 120 x 85 x 70 cm
- 637 03/04: 204 x 85 x 70 cm
- Covers: fabrics (Eremo, Francoforte, Lincoln, Lipari, Look, Ortigia, Osaka, Perbacco, Tensing, Uni Melange) and leathers (Pelle extra, Pelle naturale Z / ZZ, Pelle scozia)
Story
An icon of Neoplasticism
Cassina's page headlines the Utrecht Sofa "An icon of Neoplasticism". Its text rests on the sofa's own character: the depth of the seat and the generous padding are what let the sofa retain the same aesthetic features and the same comfort as the armchair of 1935.
Two models and a production year
The dimension drawing covers a two-seat model and a three-seat model whose plan view is curved. The page's header gives 1935 beside Rietveld's name, while its production year tab reads 1988.
More by Gerrit Rietveld

Utrecht Armchair
Rietveld's 1935 Neoplastic armchair of separate planes, made for serial production at Metz & Co

Red and Blue Chair
Rietveld's 1918 De Stijl armchair: a black beech frame carrying a red back and a blue seat

Zig Zag Chair
Rietveld's 1934 cantilevered chair: four solid-wood boards joined into a single Z

