‘breaking habits’ is a spatial installation by RAAAF that exists at the crossroads of visual art, architecture, and philosophy. installed within a dutch canal house, the experimental landscape seeks to break with entrenched living habits. ‘just like our offices and the rest of our sedentary society, our living rooms are filled with chairs, even though medical research has shown that sitting too much is unhealthy,’ say the designers.

RAAAF breaking habits
‘breaking habits’ is installed within a dutch canal house

 

 

commissioned by the mondriaan fund for the visual arts, ‘breaking habits’ explores the future of domestic interiors by replacing conventional chairs and couches with a landscape of material stretched from the room’s walls and ceiling. in developing the installation, RAAAF created a carpet-like surface that is strong enough to be suspended in the air with metal cables. the work encourages a more active lifestyle by inviting guests to change positions, and explore diagonal standing postures.

RAAAF breaking habits
the work explores the future of domestic interiors

 

 

‘in many positions, one is half-floating, almost like being supported by a magic carpet,’ explains RAAAF. ‘a sequence of ‘rolls’ of this suspended material creates a new spatial experience. the material we used, invites one to touch it with one’s skin in many different ways. this experimental installation for supported, diagonal living inside a classic dutch canal house, breaks with entrenched domestic habits.’

RAAAF breaking habits
RAAAF created a carpet-like surface that is strong enough to support human weight

 

 

‘breaking habits’ is part of a philosophical research project by RAAAF’s erik rietveld titled ‘the landscape of affordances: situating the embodied mind’. an earlier installation from the ongoing series was ‘the end of sitting’, a piece designed with visual artist barbara visser that reconsiders the office environment.

RAAAF breaking habits
the experimental landscape seeks to break with entrenched living habits

RAAAF breaking habits
diagonal standing postures are encouraged

RAAAF breaking habits
the work promotes a more active lifestyle by inviting guests to change positions

RAAAF breaking habits
a landscape of material is stretched from the room’s walls and ceiling

RAAAF breaking habits
‘breaking habits’ is part of a philosophical research project by RAAAF’s erik rietveld

 

 

project info:

 

name: breaking habits, amsterdam
design: RAAAF – rietveld architecture-art-affordances
team: ronald & erik rietveld, david habets, cecile-diama samb
client: mondriaan fonds
construction: schaart adventures, koos schaart & koen van oort
completion: 2017

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