A mainly residential commune, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre takes its name in part from the river that runs through it, the Woluwe. With its many green spaces, such as Woluwe Park and Étangs Mellaerts Park, it is a great place to live! It remained essentially rural until the early 20th century, when the construction of avenue de Tervueren had a catalytic effect on its urban and architectural development. The commune's old centre is located in the district around Saint-Pierre church. Later, the land was gradually covered by farms, giving life to several hamlets. This route takes you on a tour of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre's finest architectural specimens!
Architecture in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre: The municipal centre and a few essentials
Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, distinguished and airy
© visit.brussels - Jean-Paul Remy
As you know, churches are a landmark in the urban landscape. Saint Pierre church before you was built in 1936. This vast, neo-traditional building incorporates elements from the previous 18th-century church and seeks to remain in continuity with it, except for the monumental proportions of the new building, which contrast with the modest dimensions of the old one. (Parvis Saint-Pierre)
Architects Vermeiren and Nicaise designed the town hall, which was built between 1961 and 1975. An impressive building, with its belfry tower visible from afar, its style was freely inspired by Flemish Renaissance Revival. Did you know that before it was built, the site of the town hall was occupied by land used for market gardening! (93 avenue Charles Thielemans)
You can’t do a tour of Woluwe without including the famous Stoclet Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Engineer, banker and art collector Adolphe Stoclet commissioned Austrian architect Joseph Hoffmann to build him a house on avenue de Tervueren. The result was a sumptuous work of art, built between 1905 and 1911! Designed without financial or aesthetic limits, the "palace and garden" ensemble forms a luxurious and complete work of art, with a refined geometry that marks a break from Art Nouveau. The style is Viennese Secession or geometric Art Nouveau. (281 avenue de Tervueren)
Now we highlight the best of contemporary architecture... with this home built in 2000. The original plot wall has been retained, but the facade was built on top of it, giving it a gliding effect! The facade is almost entirely blind, except for a few glazed bands. (6 rue Saint-Hubert)
Make a U-turn on rue Saint-Hubert and you come face to face with this superb Beaux-Arts-style mansion, dating from 1913. What makes it so special? The original plans showed an Art Nouveau house! Some evidence of this can still be seen, notably in the many curved lines. (38 avenue Roger Vandendriessche)
The next stop takes you back to the neoclassical style, which was still in use in the early 20th century. This striking symmetrical building was originally a boarding school for girls. Now a police station, it was severely damaged by a bomb attack in 1985. Major renovations restored it to its former glory. Take a look at the glass roof. It isn’t original, having been installed in 1996. (245 rue Père Eudore Devroye)
Next, let's spend a few moments on this interesting liner-style building. It comprises two homes and was designed by architect Lucien de Vestel in 1933. The architecture of this building is reminiscent of a ship. Look at the two wooden doors with portholes, which could well give access to the upper deck! (120 avenue Jules César)
This modernist villa (1931) by architect Léon Mercenier is very striking. It perfectly matches the canons of the style, with geometric volumes, a flat roof and plastered facades. Inside, this bourgeois home clearly separates the spaces reserved for the owners from those accessible to servants. (32 avenue de l'Horizon)
Keeping with the villa theme, Villa Gosset is a sumptuous Art Deco building designed by architect Adrien Blomme in 1928. Gosset worked in cigarette manufacturing, and it seems that his business was doing rather well since he built this complex of buildings - dwelling, janitor's lodge and stables - on a vast enclosed plot. (21-23 avenue de l'Horizon)
A library opened by a book-loving private individual in a setting made exceptional by the architecture of the building... you have to admit that it’s rare! Bilbiotheca Wittockiana is a cultural Mecca housed in an intriguing construction of natural stone and rough concrete. This is both a public museum and a documentation centre for the history and techniques of bookbinding. (23 rue du Bemel)
Maison Gombert welcomes you to Avenue de Tervueren. This imposing modernist building, with its three facades, is one of the most remarkable constructions by architect Huib Hoste (1933). All the modernist elements are present: flat roofs with balustrades, cubist volumes, white plastered walls, the evocation of a ship's bow. (333 avenue de Tervueren)