In among the trees of an old arboretum, at the edge of the Dutch National Park the Utrechtse Heuvelrug, stands a new architectural work: Villa A by architect Teske van Royen. In 2016, the idea took hold to commission glasswork and textile art for the villa-to-be. Artist Ingeborg Meulendijks was selected and a rich collaboration between artist and architect ensued. Construction was completed in 2019.

The textile and glass designs both share a motif inspired by the tree as a symbol of life. This ties in with the villa’s forested location, but also with the commissioning party’s profession.

The works forge a close connection with the architectural object designed for this site, with its vistas of landmark trees and the changing light, as well as with the scale and substance of individual rooms. The artwork softens the architecture and imparts meaning. The woven wall panels enhance the interior acoustics, while the textured glass windows filter the outside light and foster a sense of natural intimacy indoors.


An Arboreous Imprint

Each window is made up of different relief elements. Framed by a strong line in a suggestion of panes, the composition of these elements is based on four fixed proportions and the particular window’s dimensions. The glass reliefs are impressions of select samples of wood grain, transformed into glass during the production process. Each imprint shows a unique growth signature – the fingerprint of a tree.

The reliefs in the glass intensify changes in natural light and reflect the wooded surroundings, creating a shifting interplay between indoors and out.

In spaces one moves through, like the hallway, the vertical lines in the glass are emphasized; in living spaces, the horizontal. The panes total 23 m2 of clear textured glass, divided over 32 windows.

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Villa A
Glasswork (23 m2) and textile art (29 m2)
2016-2019
Art commission for Villa A
Private commission

Architect: Artesk van Royen Architecten, Maastricht
Contractor: Bouw- en Restauratiebedrijf Van de Burgt & Strooij BV, Amersfoort
Landscape architect: De Tuinfabriek, Rotterdam
Landscaping: De Ridder, Soesterberg
Art application glass & textile: Ingeborg Meulendijks, Steyl
Light design: Atelier 81, Rotterdam
Photographer: René de Wit, Breda

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