Modernist architecture in Belgium

Modernist architecture (also called modern movement or modernism ) appeared in Belgium in 1919 and developed throughout the 1920s and 1930s, in competition with Art Deco and Beaux-Arts style.

History
Birth of Modernism and Art Deco
At the end of the First World War, the Art Nouveau fades to give way to the architectural styles that will mark the interwar period :

the Beaux-Arts style, denomination given in Belgium to the ultimate avatar of eclectic architecture
Art Deco
Modernism

Art Deco is a style that is addressed to ” a bourgeoisie and a middle class in search of representation “: as such, it resorts to an abundant ornamentation, using without counting the luxurious marbles, the iron ornaments Forged hammered, bas-reliefs, friezes and gilded moldings and even columns and pilasters inspired by the antique.

At the antipodes of Art Deco, modernism turns its back on the architectural traditions of the past, rejects all ornamentation and privileges the function. It can be defined as a set of volumes and surfaces, deserving in some cases the name of cubist architecture. ” Modernism is especially defended by architects who reject the very idea of style and demand that architecture express the aspirations for progress and democracy of an idealized future ”

Note that in Belgium the architect Antoine Pompe is a precursor of modernism since 1910 with the clinic of Dr. Van Neck.

The rise of the 1920s
Modernism took off in Belgium in 1919 with the development of a large number of garden cities, some of which, like the Cité Moderne and the Cité du Kapelleveld, are described as cubists 2. The concept of garden cities is in particular promoted by architects and urban planners refugees in Holland or England during the First World War and who took advantage of their exile to study the urbanistic solutions applied in these countries.

The leading figure in garden cities in Belgium is undoubtedly the urban planner Louis Van der Swaelmen who supervised the realization of five of them.

Under the influence of the Notre-Dame du Raincy church built in 1922-1923 near Paris by Auguste Perret, Belgium saw then appear from 1923 a series of modernist churches, made of reinforced concrete (Saint-Jean church -Baptist Molenbeek, Church of St. Augustine Forest, Church of St. Suzanne Schaerbeek), brick (Zonnebeke) or a combination of these two materials (Genval).

The 1930s
If, before 1930, Belgian modernist architects were interested in garden cities, but not in towers, ” the situation changed radically in 1930 with the holding in Brussels of the 3rd International Congress of Modern Architecture (CIAM). Le Corbusier exposes his project of “radiant city” and a consensus is established on the abandonment of the garden-city in favor of the high-rise building as optimal solution to the problem of social housing “.

If modernist apartment buildings appeared in 1928-1929 with Victor Bourgeois’s “Naïlis” building and Marcel Friesmans’ Lunatheather, the figurehead in this area will be Jean-Florian Collin, the founder of Etrimo..

Modernist – style public buildings only appeared in Belgium in the 1930s, with the flagship of this category being the headquarters of the National Broadcasting Institute, a major work by Joseph Diongre at Flagey Square in Ixelles.

During the 1930s, the modernism is adorned with variations on the theme of transatlantic liners that will earn it the nickname style “liner” : tower evoking the chimney of a liner (like those that dominate the silhouette of the old printing press of the daily newspaper The People, from the former headquarters of the RVS insurance company or the communal house of Evere ), curved balconies similar to railings, masts, flagpoles, portholes, wave movements in the facade, etc….

Functionalism
After the Second World War, modernism will mutate and engender the functionalism that will dominate the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s: ” It will be necessary to wait for the change of scale introduced by the reconstruction and the equipment of the country after the Second World War so that the Modernism imposes itself by its only economic aspect. But it will then apply to large ensembles and large-scale operations that will reveal its inhumanity and make it lose its poetic dimension “.

Main modernist achievements in Belgium

Garden Cities
The realization of these urban ensembles was dominated by the figure of the urban planner Louis Van der Swaelmen and mobilized often the same architects (Pompe, Bodson, Eggerickx, Hoste…):

1919 Cité Batavia in Roeselare : architects Fernand Bodson, Antoine Pompe, Doom and Vermeersch
1921 City of Hautrage -Nord, in the province of Hainaut, built from 1921 by the architect Antoine Pompe;
1920-1921 Cité Floréal-The Logis in Watermael-Boitsfort : architect Jean-Jules Eggericx
1921 Cité de la Roue in Anderlecht : urban planner Louis Van der Swaelmen, Antoine Pompe architects, Jean-Jules Eggericx, A. de Koninck, Fernand Bodson
1921-1928 City Kleine Rusland in Zelzate : urban planner Louis Van der Swaelmen, architects Huib Hoste, Charles Hoge and Gerald Hoge
1922 Cité Tuinbouw in Evere : urban planner Louis Van der Swaelmen, architect Jean-Jules Eggericx
1922 Cité Diongre in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean : architect Joseph Diongre
1922-1926 City of Kapelleveld in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert : urban planner Louis Van der Swaelmen, Antoine Pompe architects, Huib Hoste, Jean-François Hoeben and Paul Rubbers
1923-1925 Cité Moderne in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe : urban planner Louis Van der Swaelmen, architect Victor Bourgeois
1928-1930 City of Homborch in Uccle : architect Fernand Bodson
1929-1937 Coghen Square in Uccle : Louis-Herman architects from Koninck, J.Franssen, P.Verbruggen, Delville

Modernist churches
1923 Saint-Pierre church of Maubroux in Genval (unknown architect)
1924 Church of Our Lady of Zonnebeke ( Huib Hoste )
1925-1928 Church of St. Suzanne de Schaerbeek ( Jean Combaz )
1928-1936 Church of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady of Lourdes and Interallied Memorial in Cointe ( Jos Smolderen )
1930 Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Anderlecht, Chaussée de Ninove 367 ( Jos Smolderen )
1930-1932 Saint-Jean-Baptiste church of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean ( Joseph Diongre )
1932 Saint-Augustin de Forest church, Altitude 100 square ( Léon Guiannotte and André Watteyne, church combining modernism and Art Deco )

Apartment buildings
The apartment buildings made their appearance on the modernist scene in 1928-1929 with the building “Naïlis” Victor Bourgeois.

In the process, Marcel Driesman will build in 1929-1932 the “Lunatheater” (now “Kaaitheater”), a building comprising 42 apartments, a theater, a refreshment room and a foyer, in a style halfway between Art Deco and modernism.

In 1930, Jean-Florian Collin built his first apartment building “Le Palais du Congo”, the first of a long series that, far beyond the modernism of the 1930s, will last until the 1970s, via the company Etrimo founded by him.

Then follow Jasinski (from 1933), Obozinski (from 1935) and, finally, Eggerickx who will finish the series in style with the residences Léopold and Albert at the square of Meeus.

Public Buildings
1933-1939 National Broadcasting Institute (INR), Place Flagey in Ixelles ( Joseph Diongre )
1937 Office of Accounts-Postal Checks, rue de la Croix de Fer in Brussels ( Victor Bourgeois )
1939 Town Hall of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert (Tomberg) ( Joseph Diongre )
1939 House of Evere (Robert Rousseau)
Private houses
Looking closely, it is finally the private houses that form the link between the Belgian modernist architecture of the 1920s and that of the 1930s, thanks to the achievements of Victor Bourgeois, Huib Hoste, Louis-Herman Koninck and Jacques Obozinski.

Modernist architects and urban planners
Here is the list of Belgian modernist architects (and urban planners), classified according to the beginning of their modernist production.
Only their modernist creations are mentioned here, to the exclusion of their possible Art Deco achievements.

We refer to the detailed articles for sources and references.

Urbanist
1921 Louis Van der Swaelmen
1921 City of the Wheel
1921-1928 City Kleine Rusland in Zelzate
1922-1926 City of Kapelleveld
1922 City Tuinbouw
1923-1925 Modern City

Major Architects
1919 Antoine Pompe
1910 Clinic of Dr. Van Neck, rue Henri Wafelaerts 53 in Saint-Gilles (pre-modernist building)
1919 Cité Batavia in Roeselare
1921 City of the Wheel
1922-1926 City of Kapelleveld
1922 dwelling, rue des Atrébates 129
1926 Stevens House, avenue des Princes Brabançons 29 7
1928 dwelling on Dansaert Street 11-13

1919 Fernand Bodson
1919 City Batavia in Roeselare 8
1921 City of the Wheel
1928-1930 City of Homborch 8
1930 Artist Workshop, Paul Spaak Street 2-4
1930 Cité-Jardin du Tribouillet in Liège (6 houses) 8
1934 «Human Rights Lodge», hermitage street 86 in Ixelles
1920 Jean-Jules Eggericx
1920-1921 City Floreal-The Logis 8
1921 City of the Wheel
1922 City Tuinbouw
1930 Studio Logis
1935-1937 apartment building “Leopold Residence”, square de Meeus 22
1938-1940 apartment building “Résidence Albert”, square de Meeus 23

1922 Victor Bourgeois
1922 Cubism Street in Koekelberg
1922-1925 Modern City (Berchem-Sainte-Agathe)
1925 Maison Bourgeois, avenue Seghers 103 in Koekelberg
1925 house, avenue Louis Gribaumont 44
1927 Villa Mondalt, avenue G.Versé 33 in Berchem-Sainte-Agathe
1928 Jespers House, avenue du Prince Héritier 148 in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert
1928 White House (Buchet), Bergensesteenweg 57 in Lot (Beersel)
1928-1929: “Naïlis” apartment building, Franklin Roosevelt Avenue 74
1929 Lamblot House, Scott Street 12 in Uccle
1930 Vogel House, Rogier Avenue 263 in Schaerbeek
1932 Doms House, rue du sillon 86 in Anderlecht
1933 Maison Hats, rue Marianne 10 in Uccle
1936 Villa Jeannerie, avenue des Trembles 33 in Rhode-Saint-Genèse
1936 transformation of the Continental party hall into a Rixy cinema, chaussée de Wavre 366-368 (later the socio-cultural center Léopold Sédar Senghor)
1937 Office of Accounts-Postal Checks, rue des Croix de Fer in Brussels
1938-1939 Charles Eliat House, Avenue of Uruguay

1922 Huib Hoste (Founding Member of International Congresses of Modern Architecture or CIAM)
1922-1926 City of Kapelleveld
1924 Church of Our Lady of Zonnebeke
1924 Black House, Dumortierlaan 8 in Knokke
1931 House Hoste, Stationstraat 11 in Zelle
1935 Villa of Doctor Fouarge, avenue St Jean 14 in Woluwe-St-Pierre

Joseph Diongre
1922 Diongre city
1926-1929 Wit Huis (White House), home of the writer Jef Mennekens, Av Charles Woeste 183 in Jette
1930-1932 Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Molenbeek
1933-1939 National Broadcasting Institute (INR), Place Flagey in Ixelles
1939 Town Hall of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert (Tomberg)

1922 Jean-François Hoeben
1922-1926 City of Kapelleveld
1922 Cité Moortebeek

1922 Joseph Moutschen
1922: houses of the Cité-jardin du Tribouillet in Liège
1925: headquarters of the newspaper “La Wallonie” currently police station of Liège, Rue de la Régence
1928: first modernist house in Jupille Liège, Rue Jean Jaurès
1925-1935: Urbanistic ensemble, Cité des Cortils in Jupille Liège
1930: Monsin dam bridge in Liège
1937: Institute of Civil Engineering at Val-Benoît
1938-1939: Jules Seeliger Surgical Institute in Modern Streamline
1939: Albert I Memorial, monument at the entrance of the Albert Canal in Liège

1924 Louis-Herman of Koninck
1924 personal house
1926 House of the painter Lenglet (Uccle)
1926 Capitaine Crespel Street 42
1927 Bosquet Street 8-8a
1929-37 Coghen Square
1929 Haverbeke House, Brassine Avenue
1930 Cité-Jardin du Tribouillet in Liège (4 houses) 10
1932 Maison Dotremont, avenue of the aldermen in Uccle
1935 rue de l’Ermitage 28
1936 Berteaux House, Fort Jaco Avenue 59

1925 Jean Combaz
1925-1928 Church of St. Suzanne de Schaerbeek, Avenue des Glycines No. 30

1925 Jacques Obozinski
1925 chaussée de Charleroi 119 (mixed modernism of Art Deco)
1928 Émile Janson House, Franklin Roosevelt Avenue 56
1932 Maison Jean Borin, avenue Nestor Plissart 92 in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre
1935 Apartment building, avenue Montjoie 127 in Uccle (with Jasinski)
1949 office building at the corner of Avenue Louise 194 and Paul Spaak Street 34

1927 Henry Van de Velde
1927-1928: “The New House”, personal villa of Henry Van de Velde, in Tervuren
1928 Cohen House, Franklin Roosevelt Avenue 60 (with Jasinski)
1929 Wolfers House Alphonse Renard Street 60
1929-30 Bodt Hotel, Franklin Roosevelt Avenue 27-29
1933 Grégoire-Lagasse House, Dieweg 292 in Uccle
1933 Ghent University Library, Sint Hubertusstraat, Ghent

1928 Jos Smolderen
1928-1936 Church of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady of Lourdes and Memorial Interallié in Cointe
1930 Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Anderlecht, Chaussée de Ninove 367

1928 Stanislas Jasinski
1928: Cohen House, Franklin Roosevelt Avenue 60 (with Henry Van de Velde )
1928: house, boulevard des Invalides 263 in Auderghem
1933: apartment building, avenue des Scarabées 4
1933: “Belle Vue Residence” apartment building, avenue General de Gaulle 50 in Ixelles
1934-1939: former Paul Héger clinic, rue Héger-Bordet 1-3 in Brussels
1935: apartment building, avenue Montjoie 127 in Uccle (with Jacques Obozinski )
1935: apartment building, avenue de l’Orée 23
1936-1937: apartment building “Résidence Belvédère”, Avenue Louise 453
1939: apartment building, Avenue General de Gaulle 51 (with Jean-Florian Collin )

1929 Marcel Driesman
1929-1932: “Lunatheater” (now “Kaaitheater”), Place Sainctelette 20 in Brussels (building with 42 apartments, a theater, a refreshment room and a fireplace, made by Driesman in a style halfway between Art Deco and modernism)

1930 Jean-Florian Collin
1930: apartment building “Le Palais du Congo”, Avenue du Congo 2
1932-1934: apartment building, avenue des Scarabées 20-22
1935: apartment building, rue Jean-Baptiste Colyns 1
1935: apartment buildings, avenue de l’Orée 19 and 21
1935: apartment building, avenue des Phalènes 34
1937: apartment building, avenue des Phalènes 32
1938: house, Avenue Eugene Godaux 4
1939: apartment building, Avenue General de Gaulle 51, Ixelles (with Sta Jasinski )
1939: “Ernestine Residence” apartment building, Étoile 3 roundabout
1947: apartment building, rue Emile Claus 13
1930 Léon Emmanuel Govaerts and Alexis Van Vaerenbergh
1930: Tervueren Avenue 120
1932: rue de la Duchesse 2
1934: avenue des Phalènes 27
1935: Franklin Roosevelt Avenue 96a
1936: Nestor Avenue Plissart 90
1938: apartment building, Avenue Louise 372

1930 Louis Tenaerts
1930: house, avenue Coghen 40 in Uccle
1930: house, street of the Second Queen 5 in Uccle
1933: house, avenue Coghen 28 in Uccle
1933: Two-storey apartment building, Avenue Coghen 48 in Uccle
1933: house, avenue Coghen 68 in Uccle
1934: house, avenue Coghen 42 in Uccle
1935: Lincoln Street House 3
1936: House Labarre, rue Gossart 34

1930 Léon Guiannotte
1930: Van Oncem House, Franklin Roosevelt Avenue 106 in Brussels
1932: Saint-Augustin de Forest church, Altitude 100 square (Léon Guiannotte and André Watteyne)

1935 Groupe l’Équerre
1937: Garden City of the Trixhes plateau in Flémalle-Haute
1937: Queen Astrid Playground in Liège ( Coronmeuse district)
1938: Overview of the International Water Exhibition, in collaboration with Le Corbusier

1936 Jean Moutschen
achievements of l’Équerre group
1936: high school Léonie de Waha (1936-1938), boulevard d’Avroy, in Liège.
1939: Holiday Palace of the City of Liège

1950 EGAU Group
1951: Housing complex of Droixhe
1958: Guillemins Station, Place des Guillemins in Liège

Minor Architects
1925 Victor Servranckx (painter and architect in his spare time): rue du Chapitre 3 in Anderlecht 11
1927 Jan Albert De Bondt: villa, Spoorweglaan 36 in Sint-Niklaas
1929 Jan Albert De Bondt: Personal house and workshop, Krijgslaan 124 in Ghent
1931 Fernand Brunfaut: Printing press of the socialist newspaper “Le Peuple”
1930 Edouard Taelemans: House, Franklin Roosevelt Avenue 76
1930 Jos Ramaekers: apartment building, avenue Molière 208-210
1930 Louis Legein: “Villa Nano Naninne”, avenue Albert Dumont 26 in De Panne
1934: J.Hanneback: Edouard Dekoster Street 17 at Evere
1934 Georges Lapage: Peace Square 21 at Evere
1936 Paul-Amaury Michel: “Glass House”, rue Lejeune 69 in Uccle
1936 Armand Lauwers: avenue Henri Conscience 143 in Evere
1936 Jos Duijnstee: former building of the RVS insurance company ( Rotterdamsche Verzekering Societeiten ), rue Royale 284 in Brussels
1937 André Haeck: house, avenue de Sumatra 4 in Uccle
1938 Henri Wildenblanck : primary school p. 21 of Anderlecht (school of the city of La Roue)
1938 Jacques-Joseph Van Lint: School No. 1, Edouard Stuckens Street 125 in Evere
1939 René Ajoux : apartment building avenue General de Gaulle 36 in Ixelles
1939 Robert Rousseau: Town hall of Evere, Square Servaas Hoedemaekers 10

Source From Wikipedia