A leader in the Minimalism art movement that rose to international prominence in the 1960s, sculptor Donald Judd produced rigidly geometric and simplistic work of an industrialized nature that strove to eliminate all evidence of the artist’s touch. Deigned to intrude on the material existence of their environment, his pieces were typically modular forms composed of highly finished, machine-made materials such as iron, steel, and Plexiglas.
The spirit of Judd and his Minimalist contemporaries lives on today in a far larger and more functional form — Villa X by Barcode Architects. Led by an architectural team that includes Tim Brans, Dirk Peters, Caro van de Venne, and Wim Sjerps, Rotterdam’s Barcode Architects began designing Villa X in 2014, and final construction on this striking 220-square-meter residence is now officially complete.
Located in the Dutch province of North Brabant, Villa X was conceived and constructed as a single elongated box that resembles a great deal of Judd’s artwork. Its use of highly finished industrial materials — such as concrete, metal and glass — contributes a great deal to its overall “Minimalist sculpture” feel, as does the extremely smooth and reflective nature of its hand-polished exterior walls.
Villa X also interacts with its surroundings in much the same way as a classic Judd. Its full glass façade opens the living room directly into the garden, allowing daylight to breathe life into the structure’s interior. Much like Judd’s sculptures, Villa X truly is a statement of modern architecture that intrudes on the material existence of its environment.