Dom Hans van der Laan unique oak high back bench.

Commissioned for Willibrordkerk (St Willibrord’s Church), Almelo.

The Netherlands c. 1960’s.

Van der Laan rarely used oak in his furniture. This unique piece is also without the copper nails typical of his work. 

Willibrordkerk Almelo was designed by Jan de Jong according to the Plastic Number and the ideas of Dom Hans van der Laan. 

Despite being one of the best examples of Dutch churches of the modernist era the church was knocked down in 2005 as part of a series of unfortunate closures. Two large friezes by Igor Strawinsky (1907 - 1989), son of composer, Igor Strawinsky, were preserved intact. A deep friendship had developed between Strawinsky and van der Laan, who highly valued sacred art.

Dimensions: 67” length, 25.25” depth, 44.25” height, 16” seat height

About Dom Hans van der Laan (1904 - 1991):

Dutch Benedictine monk, architect, and leading figure of the Bossche School, Dom Hans van der Laan developed a new vision for architecture from within the confines of the monastery, completely uninfluenced by discussions in the world of architecture and design.

Not perceiving the golden ratio to be relevant to the field, van der Laan developed a theory of the ‘plastic number’, which he developed over decades by methodically studying the rhythms, rules and proportions found in nature. The mathematics of beauty. 

Approached from a philosophical, theological and technological perspective, his architecture and furniture examines the primeval origin of architectural principles and the fundamental essence of the form. On both a theoretical and practical level, van der Laan sought to give significance and importance to simplicity. A voice to silence, a form to the void.

If van der Laan’s innovative work is characterized by an all embracing simplicity, numbers are the only decoration present. These numbers govern all formal choices and establish a relationship between the parts but, once used, disappear without a trace, leaving only the invisible harmony that permeates. 

Additional information on the work of Dom Hans van der Laan can be found here.

Shipping + Delivery: Shipping costs are not included in the sale price as they vary greatly depending on location. Please contact us for shipping or delivery costs. Local (NY) delivery and pick-up is available, we also ship nationwide and worldwide. We work to obtain the most affordable shipping rates possible while ensuring that pieces are delivered safely.