Architecture walk: from modernism to "glass towers"
03 August 2026
Contemporary Brussels
Welcome to the post-war world. These itineraries will take you on a journey through the different styles that abound in a world where everything seemed possible, with contrasting styles such as modernism, brutalism, contemporary architecture and even "glass towers".
It's an all-encompassing tour, as although Brussels is an open-air museum, its scenography doesn't always follow the sequence of genres and eras.
For this itinerary, we suggest you use public transport. Click here to find out how to get around the city.
Stage 1
Post-war boom
Functionalism, modernism & brutalism
The Atomium, a real technological feat
We suggest you start with one of Brussels’ most emblematic buildings. Head to Heysel to admire (or even explore) the Atomium. Created for the 1958 World Fair, it was designed by engineer André Waterkeyn and built by architects André and Jean Polak. Believe it or not, it was originally going to be dismantled after the exhibition! The Atomium represents the mesh of the iron crystal (body-centred cubic structure) enlarged 165 billion times, with each ball being an iron atom. Its facade underwent a thorough renovation between 2004 and 2006, its aluminium plates being replaced with stainless steel plates. 2,970 LED lights have also been installed to light up the Atomium when the sun goes down. You can, of course, visit it, and even climb to the top ball for a breathtaking view of the capital and beyond. It’s also possible to eat in its restaurant high above the city. If you love design, the ADAM [Brussels Design Museum], right next door, should satisfy your curiosity.
Take the metro to Brussels Central Station.
Functionalism, modernism & brutalism
When you arrive at Brussels Central Station, marvel at this building designed by Horta! The project, which dates back to the early 20th century, was interrupted by the First World War, and then by the financial crisis following the crash of 1929. The work was also interrupted during the Second World War. In 1947, after the architect's death, Maxime Brunfaut, son of architect Fernand Brunfaut, was entrusted with the job of completing the edifice.
Make you way out to the esplanade in front of the station. If you have visited the Atomium, you will know that Sabena was Belgium’s legendary former airline (it was declared bankrupt in 2001). On Boulevard de l'Impératrice 13 & 15, you’ll find the former Air Terminus Sabena, a functionalist building from 1954 designed by the same Maxime Brunfaut. At that time, airline passengers could check in their luggage there before travelling to the airport by train. Just next door is the headquarters of public water company Vivaqua. Built in 1965 by architects Léon Stynen & Paul De Meyer, the modern architecture building was originally called Telex and was intended for use by the R.T.T. (Régie des Télégraphes et Téléphones). It was renovated by Crepain Binst architecture in 2010.
Continue along the boulevard, which becomes Boulevard de Berlaimont. On your right, you’ll see the National Bank of Belgium. The building, designed by Marcel Van Goethem before the Second World War, was completed in 1948 and has a 200m-long modernist facade. Almost opposite it, at number 56, is the National Bank's printing house, another modernist construction, completed in 1950 and designed by the same Marcel Van Goethem.
© visit.brussels - Jean-Michel Byl
© visit.brussels - Jean-Michel Byl
The next stop is another station. At 34 Boulevard Pacheco lies the entrance to Congrès station, a striking facade in a modern, international style. Built between 1948 and 1952, Maxime Brunfaut was again the architect (at the time he was President of the Office de la Jonction Nord-Midi de Bruxelles). At number 44 stands the remarkable former Crédit Communal bank with its strange green windows. An (underrated) brutalist building built between 1967 and 1971, it was worked on by Marcel Lambrichs, Casimir Grochowski, Daniel de Laveleye, Alphonse Van Impe and Roger Delfosse. It now houses the Immigration Office.
Opposite is the Finance Tower, opened in 1983, designed and built by Hugo Van Kuyck, Marcel Lambrichs, Léon Stynen and Jaspers-Eyers. A brief chronological flashback: across from the tower is the Botanique, which houses the Cultural Centre of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. The botanical garden is dominated by a neoclassical building dating from 1826 and designed by architect Tilman-François Suys; Pierre François Gineste and Jean-Baptiste Meeus-Wauter contributed to its plans.
Go around the right side of the Tour des Finances (take the opportunity to admire the glass towers of the northern district in the distance; you’ll find out at the end of the day if you still have the strength for this). Behind the tower is the communal administration building. A long building with coloured windows built in a functionalist style and designed by Hugo Van Kuyck and Marcel Lambrichs (the same architects as the Finance Tower) along with Georges Riquier and the Alpha Group. The works lasted from 1958 to 1983. Cross the garden, pass the fountains, and behind the highly original wall that faces you are the stairs that lead to the Congrès esplanade. Once at the top, enjoy the panoramic view of the city!
Stage 2
From the 20th to the 21st century
Modernism, postmodernism & new constructions
After passing the Congrès column (which houses the tomb of the unknown soldier), make your way to 15-17 Place Surlet Chockier (on the way, why not enjoy a little coffee break on the attractive Place de la Liberté?). This postmodernist building dating from 1992 houses the government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. It is the work of the Atelier d’Architecture de Genval architecture studio.
In a decidedly more contemporary style, check out the MeetDistrict Spectrum, a passive building by Jaspers-Eyers that opened at 12 Boulevard Bischoffsheim in 2019. Cross the boulevard to admire the Astro Tower and its white vertical stripes, designed by Albert De Doncker in 1976 and renovated between 2014 and 2016. On your way to the Madou Tower, make a brief detour to 41 rue Scailquin and you’ll see the Marignan project (named after the old cinema that used to be there) which is about to become a cultural centre. For the moment, the project, managed by Manger Nielsen Architects, is still under construction but its singular nature is already worth the detour!
Now back to the Madou Tower. Built between 1963 and 1965 based on plans by Robert Goffaux, it was renovated between 2002 and 2003 and now accommodates offices of the European Commission.
From there, you can use Madou metro station to get to Porte de Namur. Take exit number 6 to the new Axa Insurance headquarters, inaugurated in 2017 and designed by A2RC Architects. It’s an imposing construction that combines two existing buildings linked by a new construction; the structure as a whole is harmonised by a metallic exoskeleton. It’s also very beautiful at night. Jump back in time to post-war modernism with the imposing Marnix building, constructed in the late 1950s. It’s one of the few European projects of American Gordon Bunshaft. The building is also known for being lit up at night.
Stage 3
Welcome to the European Quarter
Brutalism, postmodernism & new constructions
From here, you can walk or take the bus to Place du Luxembourg.Welcome to the European Quarter! Please note that here, it becomes difficult to list all the (interesting) contemporary buildings. Start things off with the unmissable Espace Léopold where you’ll find, among others, the Paul-Henri-Spaak building designed by Michel Boucquillon in collaboration with the Association of Architects of the CIC, which was inaugurated in 1993 and houses the hemicycle of the European Parliament. It’s not easy to appreciate the full extent of the building from the ground, but you can walk around it through Leopold Park. It is also open for tours.
© visit.brussels - S. Schmitt
Time for a change of era, with the very fashionable and colourful Wilfried Martens building (also owned by the Parliament), at 80 Rue Belliard, completed in 2016 and delivered by BESIX and Jacques Delens.
From the building, you can see the Belliard footbridge overlooking the street in the distance. It was created in 1983 by the architectural firm Group Planning - one of the figures of postmodernist architecture in Belgium in the 1980s.
We jump back into brutalism with the buildings at 53 and 55 Rue d'Arlon, designed by Jean Verschuere and completed in 1968.
Continue to explore the heart of the European Quarter with the recently completed The One at 103 Rue de la Loi, the first building to emerge from the new development plan for the street and its surroundings. It was designed by B2Ai offices and delivered in 2018. Just further along are two glass buildings: at 145 on the same street, the Lex building built by the Jaspers-Eyers office in 2006 and housing Commission offices and, almost opposite it, at 170, the Charlemagne building, which also houses the Commission. This building was originally built by Jacques Cuisinier in 1967 before being renovated between 1995 and 1998 with the collaboration of the German architect Helmut Jahn.
Next to the Lex is the Europa building (the former "Résidence Palace"), an extension of the Council of the European Union headquarters, designed by Philippe Samyn and Partners in association with Studio Valle Progettazioni and inaugurated in late 2016. On its facade is a patchwork of old wooden frames recovered from European countries. Inside, there is a giant amphora made of sandblasted glass that acts as a "lantern" at night.
And, of course, opposite it, at 200 Rue de la Loi, is the legendary Berlaymont, originally built between 1963 and 1969 by Lucien De Vestel, Jean Gilson and André and Jean Polak. The building takes its name from a former boarding school for young girls, the Convent of the Ladies of Berlaymont, founded in 1625 and located on these premises in 1864 (after being expropriated to make way for the future Brussels Palais de Justice!) The Belgian State bought the land in 1960 to house the Commission. A major asbestos removal project began in 1991 and was completed in 2004. The building was sold to the Commission the same year.
Before continuing, you can go and sit in Cinquantenaire Park and admire the Cinquantenaire Palace, built in 1880 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Belgium’s independence. And, if you like panoramic views, climb to the top of the arcades, via the Militaryy Museum (there is an entrance fee for the museum). From up there, you can see the buildings and the urbanisation of the European Quarter.
Stage 4
Legendary buildings in Boitsfort
Functionalism, brutalism & international style
Meet at the Boitsfort Gare STIB stop. At 187 and 189 Chaussée de La Hulpe, you can see the five office buildings that make up LH 187, built in 1976 and designed by Constantin Brodzki and Marcel Lambrichs (him again!) in a functionalist and modernist post-war style. Right next door is the legendary and magnificent brutalist and functionalist CBR building, designed by the same architects and built between 1967 and 1970.
Continue along the boulevard. Across the street, at number 166, is the Glaverbel, a circular functionalist office building in the international style, designed by the architects André Jacqmain, Renaat Braem, Victor Mulpas and Pierre Guillissen in 1967 and renovated in 1998.
Further down, at numbers 150 and 154, are HULPE I & II, two functionalist office buildings.
© visit.brussels - Jean-Paul Remy
© visit.brussels
For the next part of the journey, take tram 8 (from the Coccinelle stop) towards Roodebeek. Get off at Tenreuken and admire, at 25 Boulevard du Souverain, the impressive former headquarters of the Royal Belgian Railway and its park, inaugurated in 1970 and designed by René Stapels and Pierre Dufau in an international style. This recently transformed building has become Mix and will open in 2023. It will house a hotel, restaurants, offices, meeting rooms, a fitness centre, a food market and even an open-air swimming pool. All this has been integrated into the historic several-hectare park. Architects Peter St John, Dirk Somers, DDS+ and Ma2by were responsible for the work.
CC-by-sa 4.0_lu
Stage 5
Northern district and back to the centre
Postmodernism & "glass towers"
This stage of the route starts at Brussels North Station. If you’re a fan of glass towers then you can easily lose yourself in this business district - see the North Galaxy Towers and the Ellipse Building by following Boulevard Albert II to the left - but we advise you to go up the Boulevard in the other direction. Around the corner, you’ll find the Proximus Towers, postmodernist twin towers built by Jaspers-Eyers between 1994 and 1996. Right next door is the Phoenix, home to Baloise Belgium insurance, built by abv+ architecten and renovated between 2018 and 2020. Next is the Hendrik Conscience at number 15, also designed by Michel Jaspers, built in 1998 and renovated in 2018. Another remarkable building is the Seven at 7/9 Boulevard Albert II, renovated and restructured by the Jaspers-Eyers studio in 2019.
Opposite it are three identical postmodernist buildings, North Gate I-II-III, the work of the offices of Jaspers-Eyers and Atelier d'architecture de Genval between 1991 and 1994, which house various federal public services. Next door is the very recent Quatuor, four office and co-working towers again designed by Jaspers-Eyers (the co-working space was designed by Belgian artist Lous and the Yakuza). Opposite, on the corner, stands the Baudouin Tower, created by the Atelier d'Architecture de Genval between 1988 and 1992.
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Move on to Place Rogier with its Rogier Tower, built in a modern style between 2003 and 2006 by architects Philippe Samyn and Michel Jaspers. Its coloured lights make it also worth seeing at night. The canopy, on the square, was designed by Xaveer De Geyter and Michel Desvigne and completed in 2017.
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There are several options here. If you have had enough, you can stop (if you've made it this far, you have done well!), or if you have not yet had your fill of glass towers you can carry on to the right of Rogier Tower and discover a series of other buildings. Otherwise, you can finish your visit with a few final treasures that are well worth the detour (but you still have to walk a bit, we are not going to lie).
The next stop, a key example of functionalism, is the Marais building, at 2 Rue du Marais, the former CGER headquarters, designed by Marcel Lambrichs (yes, him again!) and built between 1969 and 1974. Go up the street and, at the corner of Rue de la Montagne des Herbes Potagères, you’ll spot another building that belonged to the CGER, constructed between 1947 and 1953 by Alfred Chambo in a modern, French neo-Art Deco style. It’s an office building that also houses the food court The Wolf.
From there, a short trip back through the Royal Saint-Hubert Galleries, designed by the architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar in 1846 and one of the first covered shopping centres in the world.
Go up the attractive Rue des Éperonniers to the Lombard 77, which is located at 77 Rue du Lombard (no surprise there)! This strange glass cube, designed by Marcos Alvarez and affixed to the existing building, dates from 2013. It houses the French-speaking Parliament of Brussels.
Next is a charming return to brutalism at 34-42 Rue du Lombard, with the incredible former headquarters of the Construction Confederation. It’s an example of pure brutalism mixed with post-war modernism dating from 1968, designed by the architects Marcel Lambrichs(!), Casimir Grochowski and Daniel de Laveleye and is currently awaiting works to transform it for its next role.
And last but not least, a U-turn to conclude (we owed you one last U-turn!) to see the architectural strangeness that is the Brussels Parliament at 69 Rue du Lombard. The ground floor dates back to its original construction in 1696, the first-floor dates back to the beginning of the 20th century and, lastly, around 1995, a decision was made to build a new hemicycle for the glass roof of the building, which is clearly visible from Place Saint-Jean and is a fitting reminder of this day spent plunged into the modern and contemporary.
Hôtels modernes
