An excerpt from Sanne Bolten in conversation with Sabine Marcelis in 1605 Magazine No.2 Illusion

Images: Sabine Marcelis

Nested within one of the Netherlands’ largest and oldest industrial estates—the Spanish Polder of Rotterdam—Sabine Marcelis uncovered the studio she had always envisioned. Occupying 1,773 square metres and positioned along the Pelserthaven, the building breathes vastness, with spaces unfurling grandly upwards and outwards, reaching into the expanse. Standing among wooden transport crates, striking colourful prototypes and perfectly perched mirrors on racks, you almost cannot imagine that it was once an obsolete, abandoned shell. “At the end of 2021, the place was totally rundown, leading everyone to believe we were going to demolish it, just flatten it to the ground,” Marcelis says. “But our vision was different; we saw the beauty in its bones and chose renovation over replacement. It has such a great framework; it would’ve been a shame to put a cold, stark edifice here.” And so they ended up driving nearly 100 piles 20 metres into the ground for the floor for its foundation. The reconstruction would turn out to be incredibly laborious, involving a full wrapping and a new roof; they literally revived every inch.

Marcelis’s entire posture denotes comfort; she flows through the building effortlessly, leaving a trail of warm greetings from colleagues in her wake. “This building is remarkable, particularly because of the way it embraces light, which is essential for me,” she continues. In June 2023, she moved her entire studio here, despite renovations being far from complete. “Sustained by the generous flow of natural light, we managed without electric lights until the end of September,” she adds. But as the days shortened, and dusk crept in earlier, the installation of lighting was a welcome addition. The smart, responsive system created by Phillips adapts to the presence—or absence of—light, rendering traditional light switches unnecessary and ensuring an ever-orchestrated ambiance. “Having the freedom to design a space exactly to your preferences and optimise every process involved is truly a luxury,” she remarks. In Marcelis’ former location, space constraints made it challenging to cleverly store objects or finished products. Now, she has established a fully-fledged workshop where each creation can be finished meticulously and each item has a designated spot. “This makes us much more efficient as a team. It’s also more inspiring, especially since we’re right by the waterfront. In the next phase, we’d like to green up the outdoor area, which is currently all bricks and containers,” she says, with a twinkle in her eyes. 

And that holds promising prospects, as Marcelis is no stranger to outdoor ventures—or adventures. Take her 2022 Mirage, for instance, commissioned by Dubai-based collectible design gallery COLLECTIONAL. The work, inspired by the polarity of the bright Emirate sun and the dynamism of city life, showcases a reddish, radiant curvature across a triptych of layered glass mirrors that stand like totems against the Dubai desert. A most unusual image, one that seems to flirt with the boundaries of reality. Or her No Fear of Glass site-specific intervention at the Mies van der Rohe pavilion in Barcelona, a commission from Fundació Mies van der Rohe and Side Gallery, serving as a direct and daring counter to the original 1929 directive given to van der Rohe ‘to not use too much glass’. Marcelis challenged the boundaries of existing materials with her applications of colour-transitioning curved glass, which seems to sprout organically from the pavilion’s structure. Yet another mind-bending sight that reflects on its environment, this time creating a dialogue between past and present. 

Looking forward to the rest of the story?