Architecture in Ixelles: Ancient history and ponds

This walk begins at the emblematic place Flagey and the equally unmissable, soberly named, Flagey cultural centre. The construction of what was then the Institut National de la Radiodiffusion (INR) began in 1935. The building was designed in a modernist style by Joseph Diongre, a well-known Brussels architect. Both the exterior and interior circulation spaces are reminiscent of the ocean liners of the period. (23-29 rue du Belvédère)

A few metres away stands Sainte-Croix church, well known to place Flagey’s regular visitors. Did you know that this Art Deco church only took on this appearance in the early 1940s? Sainte-Croix was actually built in the neo-Gothic style between 1859 and 1865. But the building quickly became a cause for concern, showing signs of instability due to the damp, sandy nature of the soil. It was then partially rebuilt as the church you see before you. (place Sainte-Croix)

Time to move on to the other side of the lake for the next stop, an architect-designed house that is well worth a visit! This is the former mansion of Ernest Delune, who designed it himself, in the Art Nouveau style (1907). The same architect designed an impressive series of houses on this street - all the way up to number 32! The four-storey building is the last on the street, giving it an even more imposing appearance (2 rue de la Vallée).

The Résidence du Lac is a modernist apartment building designed by architect Jacques Cuisinier in 1957. Cuisinier, born in Ixelles, is known for designing the Charlemagne building and the Brusilia tower in Schaerbeek. These apartments were intended for the middle classes and were sold turnkey (5 rue du Lac, 1-7 square de Biarritz, 15 rue Lannoy).

Art Nouveau can be found on every street corner in Brussels. Marvel, wide-eyed at this gem of originality designed by Léon Delune in 1902. For many years, this house was the home and artist's studio of master glassworker Clas Grüner Sterner, who created the delightful stained-glass windows (6 rue du Lac).

Another architect-designed house awaits you next, the home of Ernest Blerot, who designed this surprising building in 1903. While the chosen style is Art Nouveau, the building's geometry is highly unusual, not least due to the mitre-shaped part of the street facade (40 rue de la Vallée)!

La Cascade is a modernist apartment building designed by architect René Ajoux in 1939. In the architect's own words, "the search for lasting beauty in architectural or decorative art will always be my sole aim. Softness of form, comfort and colour harmony are the key elements." Do you agree with him? (36 avenue Général de Gaulle).

Just next door, it would be a shame not to stop in front of two Art Nouveau townhouses designed by Blerot in 1904. These similar yet different twin houses feature magnificent wrought-iron railings with arabesque motifs (38-39 avenue Général de Gaulle).

Passing between the two lakes, head for these two almost identical 1907 houses inspired by geometric Art Nouveau and surprisingly designed symmetrically. They were designed by Edmond Delune, Ernest's brother, who occupied one of them. (3 and 5 avenue Guillaume Macau). 

Back on avenue Général de Gaulle, it is impossible to miss this modernist-style apartment building. Le Tonneau was built between 1938 and 1940 to designs by architect Jean-Florian Collin. Unusually, the building takes the form of a truncated ellipse. It is covered with a pinkish-coloured render. The very luxurious apartments were designed for a wealthy clientele (51 avenue Général de Gaulle).

We make our way towards the abbey, but along the route there are a few stops worth a visit. In particular, the two identical Beaux-Arts-style townhouses designed by Adrien Blomme in 1908. Designed to mirror each other, the two buildings are built in white stone, as is often the case in the Beaux-Arts style. The two carriage gates gave access to the stables and sheds at the back of the plot (22-24 rue de l'Abbaye).

A little further down the same street, the Beaux-Arts style continues with this elegant house designed by Ernest Jaspar in 1905. Note the profusion of curves and counter-curves and the presence of a central entrance door, which is quite rare in Brussels (51 rue de l'Abbaye).

This Art Nouveau house has something different from the usual examples of the style... the architect is Frans Albert and it dates from 1900. Its composition is highly asymmetrical, especially the windows, which are all different. Buildings like these have the merit of breaking up the monotony of a street (47 rue Paul Lauters)!

Now we head to La Cambre Abbey. The site of this former abbey is one of the best-preserved examples of a Cistercian monastery in the country. In Brussels, such well-preserved Ancien Régime monasteries are rare. Erected progressively from the 13^th century, the site's many buildings will impress you and immerse you in the atmosphere of the time. Note that most of the buildings you see today date from the 18^th century. Only parts of the cloister (13^th century) and the abbey church (14^th century, Gothic style) are older. The site is currently home to the renowned École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Visuels de la Cambre. This magnificent green space is perfect for a break, so go ahead!

As you leave the park   surrounding the abbey, you can admire Palais de la Cambre, a group of five luxury Art Deco apartment buildings. They were built between 1925 and 1930, when apartment buildings were all the rage. The impressive main facade is adorned with masterful sculptures and bas-reliefs (60-68 avenue Emile Duray).

This district of Ixelles still has more large apartment buildings to show us. The Palais de la Folle Chanson is another beautiful Art Deco apartment building dating from 1928. Architect Antoine Courtens drew up the plans, clearly targeting the wealthy bourgeoisie. It is a corner building and the two facades are linked by a rotunda; if you look closely, you can see that the upper part of this rotunda adopts a star-shaped composition, evoking the seven streets of the Rond-point de l'Étoile (2 rond-point de l'Étoile).

The Rond-point de l’Étoile is not lacking in architectural interest. On the other side, look out for the Résidence Ernestine, another modernist apartment building, designed in 1936 by architect and property developer Jean Florian Collin. Like the Palais de la Folle Chanson, it is flanked by a rotunda, most of which is glazed (3 rond-point de l'Etoile).

The Résidence de La Cambre is another luxury apartment building, designed in 1937 by architect Marcel Peeters. We are steeped in the New York-inspired Art Deco style here. A particularly characteristic feature of North American architecture is the stepped structure, reminiscent of the skyscrapers popular in this part of the U.S. (20 boulevard Général Jacques). 

How about one last example, just for good measure? The Palais du Congo, with its Art Deco style, bears a striking resemblance to the Résidence Ernestine, don't you think? So who designed it? Jean Florian Collin, in 1930 (2-4 avenue du Congo).

To round off this tour of Ixelles, let's move from domestic architecture to educational architecture. The Solbosch university campus, part of the Université Libre de Bruxelles, presents its "Building A", arguably the most impressive building on the site. It was built by architect Alexis Dumont between 1924 and 1928, in the neo-Baroque style, with a characteristic domed tower. The building is part of a vast university site comprising countless buildings and green spaces.

Worth the detour: It’s impossible not to mention the famous Villa Empain, a former Art Deco mansion designed by Swiss architect Michel Polak. In 1930, the then 21-year-old Baron Louis Empain had this 2,500m² mansion built on the prestigious avenue des Nations, later renamed avenue Franklin Roosevelt. The result? A monumental villa with four polished granite facades, a garden surrounding a swimming pool with a pergola and a caretaker's lodge, all on a 55-acre plot. The diversity and quality of the materials used (marble, polished granite, bronze, wrought iron, stained glass and precious woods), the refinement of its details and the coherence of the whole, with its simple yet imposing lines, contributed to its heritage value from the outset.