Aluminum Sideboard Model Cabinet by Maarten Van Severen for Vitra, 2005

Decorative sideboard named ’ Kast’ by the hand of Belgian interior architect and furniture designer Maarten Van Severen. It was produced by Vitra in 2005 and unfortunately one of the last designs Van Severen ever designed. Van Severen came from an artistic family: his father was the abstract painter Dan Van Severen while his brother, Fabian Van Severen, is also a designer. After his studies, Van Severen collaborated closely with dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and also turned his attention to interior design tasks. During this period he also assumed teaching positions at a variety of institutions in Europe.

The process of design and production was long a fundamental aspect of his work, which was devoted to the examination of basic furniture types: chair, table, chaise longue, shelving, cabinet. Van Severen developed primary solutions for these categories based on form, material and construction. Van Severen subsequently worked in various different materials, from aluminium and plywood to bakelite and polyester. His initial work is still manufactured by Vitra and Aiki today.

This double faced sideboard is the medium-height version of Kast, it has 8 sliding doors that have a various function and is fully made out of aluminium. The sliding doors are used to hide or expose the inside of the sideboard, on the other hand, they also function as a colorful background of the open spaces. Van Severen paid special attention to the colours of the sliding doors, which not only emphasise the proportions of Kast but also give it a fresh and optimistic feeling.

The sideboard stands in a well kept, clean condition. A rare find as this is no longer in production.