Kho Liang Ie — Mid-Century Modernist

Early success

When Kho Liang Ie passed away in 1975 at the age of 47, he left behind an impressive body of work, including furniture, interiors, and graphic design. He was born in 1927 in Magelang, Indonesia, the country where the Kho family, originally from China, had lived for generations. In 1949, he moved to the Netherlands and studied interior architecture at what would later become the Rietveld Academy. While still a student, he already landed several design projects.

From Artifort to Schiphol

Kho Liang Ie went on to work for several distinguished companies, including Bruynzeel, Mosa, CAR and Artifort. With his visionary approach, Kho also contributed to the development of what were then modern concepts, such as open-plan offices and interiors for one-person households. In 1963, his impressive track record led to a major commission: the design of the new terminal building at Schiphol Airport, which opened four years later.

The exhibition

Kho Liang Ie – Mid-Century Modernist is the first major retrospective of the designer in more than fifty years. Strijkers Studio conceived a spatial design showcasing over 200 objects and extensive visual material covering all aspects of Kho Liang Ie’s oeuvre, including designs for Schiphol Airport, Artifort and a reconstruction of part of his exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in 1971. The presentation also spotlights his collaboration with celebrated designers and artists such as Pierre Paulin, Geoffrey Harcourt, and Sheila Hicks, Ettore Sottsass and Niki de Saint Phalle, among others.