According to Horta himself, the plans for this house, conceived in 1895, were the most audacious he ever drew. And he did so for a prominent figure, as the client, Baron Edmond van Eetvelde, was the Secretary General of the Independent State of Congo - in reality the unofficial 'Minister of the Congo' - and, therefore, a very close ally of King Leopold II. The future owner asked the architect for a house 'for his family', but with as large a living room and dining room as possible, given his frequent social engagements. The house is unusual in that it is flanked by two other buildings: a building to the left of it, which was intended to serve both as an extension to the original house and as a rental house and a building to the right of it, a small annex to the main house.
Van Eetvelde Hotel & LAB·An
Location: Avenue Palmerston, 2, 1000 Brussels
