Hendrik Petrus Berlage (1856 – 1934) made his first sketch of the Hunting Lodge St. Hubertus in 1914 (see photo three days ago). When Rotterdam needed a new City Hall, Berlage was not allowed to enter the invited competition due to his political background. Mr. Kröller, the richest and most influential Dutchman of his time, hired Berlage for his Hunting Lodge on the Veluwe out of respect for the architect. Berlage saw the project as a total work of art (gesamtkunstwerk). Both exterior and interior are inextricably connected. This photo shows where the glazed floor tiles end just to make sure the carpet will never be (re)moved. The entire building was built this way. As you can imagine, Mrs Müller, who led the project, couldn't always get along with the architect and finally, after 4 years, Berlage left the site after a dispute about a conservatory and the Belgian architect Henry Van de Velde took over his job. The Lodge was nearly finished by then.
