Located in the eastern part of the Brussels-Capital Region, the commune owes its name to the Woluwe river, which has had a lasting influence on its territory and urban development. A small rural town until the early 20th century, it then took off in urban terms, drawing on all the architectural styles of the last century. The commune's historic centre originally grew around Saint-Lambert church and the hamlet of Roodebeek, which included a number of farms and land holdings, some of whose remains can still be seen today. The 20th century saw the construction of a series of residential areas, as well as commercial buildings and company headquarters, contrasting with the many green spaces and water sources that dot the landscape of this rather smart commune. Let's go and discover it!
Architecture in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert: A more contemporary architecture
From rural village to cutting-edge commune
As you leave the historic centre, you move away from older architectural styles to focus on historicism and 20th-century styles. This is the case of Castel de Linthout, built between 1867 and 1869 in the neo-Gothic style for lawyer Auguste Beckers. The Linthout district was still very quiet at that time... The elegant property was later enlarged, then sold to the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, who turned it into a school. The site now houses the Academy of Music, Dance and the Spoken Word. (2 avenue des Deux Tilleuls)
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert may not be the commune best known for its Art Nouveau heritage, but it does have some interesting examples, such as these three terraced houses, inspired by geometric Art Nouveau, which are very different yet the work of the same architect: Edouard Frankinet, who built them between 1903 and 1905. On of these three homes matches the architect's... can you guess which one? Obviously, it’s the largest, most imposing and most prestigious: number 21. (17-21 avenue des Rogations)
Did you know that Saint Henri church, built in the neo-Gothic style between 1908 and 1911, is an exact replica of a former Ghent church demolished in the 19th century and much admired by King Leopold II? It was at the Sovereign's insistence that the sanctuary was built to house the new parish, founded in 1901. (Parvis Saint-Henri)
Continue on to the former studio and home of sculptor Oscar Jespers, who, in 1928, hired one of Belgium's leading modernist architects, Victor Bourgeois. The result: a purely modernist gem, with a smooth, rounded facade, no decorative elements, a flat roof, large entablature windows, etc. (149 avenue du Prince Héritier)
A little Art Deco to finish off this architectural tour... Résidence Vergote and La Rotonde (1935) are two sublime examples of this style. The two architects of these apartment buildings, Vermeiren and Dewit, used contrasting colours and geometric shapes. Take a look at the elaborate entrances with their ceramic panels and white stone bas-reliefs. (10 and 10b square Vergote)
The house next door is also worth a visit. This Art Deco bourgeois house was built in 1924. It also plays with colour, using bricks of varying hues - known as Zeeland bricks - and imitation white stone. The facade is very ornate. (8 square Vergote)
Worth the detour: From the 1920s, Brussels saw the emergence of some wonderful examples of garden cities, a concept that originated in England and aimed to create districts of workers' houses on the outskirts of urban areas, with all modern comforts and in a green environment. Kapelleveld garden city was built in an undeveloped area. It was constructed between 1922 and 1926 by avant-garde architects Antoine Pompe, Huibrecht Hoste, Jean-François Hoeben and Paul Rubbers. They designed over 400 houses in 19 different styles, including ten shop buildings. Visit Kapelleveld garden city if you want to discover the spirit and style of modernism! Some streets are just a succession of plaster-covered cubes! (Between avenue Dumont, avenue Vandervelde and avenue de l'Assomption)