IDFA x RSGA Design
When you fit together, you can strengthen each other. And that's certainly the case with IDFA and RSGA Design. Read more about the forward-thinking partnership, which began in 2023, via RSGA founder Titus Darley—who also owns his own private designer chair museum and stands as an all-around designer furniture aficionado—and IDFA Managing Director Cees van 't Hullenaar.
The meeting space in the IDFA Vondelpark Pavilion. Table from Atelier van Assendonk.
What goes into the partnership between RSGA Design and IDFA?
Cees van 't Hullenaar (IDFA): "The meeting place next to the cinema in IDFA Vondelpark came about thanks to RSGA Design. Titus made it possible to furnish the space and give it the authentic atmosphere it deserves. Sustainability and aesthetics were important to RSGA Design in this regard, something embedded in their DNA, as well as that of IDFA."
Titus Darley (RSGA Design): "We provided the furniture and fabrics for the meeting space. The architect &prast&hooft chose the items from our warehouse and decorated the space. The long table, the armchairs, and the checkered benches were previously used for fairs or exhibitions, and we made them like new again for IDFA using leftover fabrics. Together we created an authentic environment."
Cees: "In IDFA Vondelpark, we work with reused materials as much as possible. We want to reflect the historical value of the building as much as possible in the layout and furnishings. Titus understands that. RSGA Design supports several social and cultural organizations."
What do you pay attention to when furnishing a meeting space for a documentary film institute?
Titus: "It had to be a place where both visitors and IDFA staff feel at home. A place with a homely atmosphere, not too slick. Vintage furniture can achieve that. The budget was another reason to work with what we already had. And that's quite difficult in an existing space. It just has to fit. It meant we could use pieces that are out of the collection or that we can't use with our regular clients. The very long table from Atelier van Assendonk, for example, couldn't be placed just anywhere, but it fit in this special space at IDFA. The furniture was simply refurbished first, so it's a relatively small investment with a big return. Only the four wooden benches by Martin Visser in the hall we had specially made."
Benches and armchairs in the meeting room. On the right, Martin Visser's benches in the hall.
How does a company that manages designer brands come together with a documentary film festival?
Titus: "I learned about the festival years ago through my children, who attended it with their school. I appreciate documentaries because they present me with unexpected, social topics that I wouldn't otherwise be confronted with. Documentary filmmakers often have their hearts in the right place; they want to do good in the world. I want the same with my company. Documentary is also an art form; in that artistic sensibility we find each other."
Sustainability and a love of the artistic, in other words.
Cees: "Both are important for IDFA. You can see that in the choices we made for IDFA Vondelpark. If you understand each other, you can strengthen each other. That's what gives a partnership substance; it's more than a financial transaction. Of course, the financial aspect is important for us too, as we depend on partnerships to a large extent. But they work best when it's more than just sticking a logo on a poster."
Titus: "In my experience, a partnership lasts the longest when it's content-based. Designers are authentic people, just like filmmakers. We think it's important to come up with things ourselves. At RSGA Design, we're a small Dutch company. We produce locally, and we want to invest part of what we earn back locally. With the opening of IDFA Vondelpark, I saw an opportunity to do this for IDFA. With this partnership, together we facilitate a pleasant meeting place, where people can be inspired by the furniture and the story behind it. Original stuff, locally produced, reused, refurbished, and without throwing tons of money at it. So the space has not become super slick, as you often see in company headquarters. Instead, it's a place that's timeless, warm, and homey."
The meeting space will continue to be decorated in the run-up to the official opening of IDFA Vondelpark in 2024.
Curious about supporting IDFA? Whether professionally or privately, there's lots of ways to pitch in. See what you can do for IDFA at idfa.nl/support.
To learn more about the Dutch brands of RSGA DSGN, visit rsgadesign.com.
