Brussels is full of architectural gems. Many remarkable institutions and houses honour the art of construction, including Art Nouveau, Art Deco and neoclassical architecture. In October, the European capital puts architecture in the spotlight. With guided tours of private homes, conferences and performing arts, many different activities will allow visitors to discover the wealth of Brussels’ architectural heritage.
During October, Brussels will honour the many different aspects of architecture in a wide variety of ways. Numerous events will immerse visitors in the fascinating world of the art of construction, from the unmissable BANAD Festival to the multidisciplinary Artonov and the Brussels Biennale for Modern Architecture. Here is an overview in chronological order.
Louis Tenaerts
Brussels resident Louis Tenaerts (1898-1994) was a prolific architect and builder, as well as a businessman with considerable flair! He was a true chameleon architect, who followed fashions, adopted modernity and integrated new fashionable materials. Drawing on the rich variety of Art Deco forms, he designed joyful, efficient architecture, making his mark on many Brussels neighbourhoods. While his ocean liner-style homes are among the most striking in Brussels, Tenaerts himself is a little-known figure well worth discovering!
BANAD Festival: Autumn Edition
The Brussels Art Nouveau & Art Deco (BANAD) Festival is an exceptional event that highlights the Art Nouveau and Art Deco heritage of the Brussels-Capital Region. It is held every year, only during weekends in March. This new Autumn festival is a smaller-scale event. The programme includes guided tours of Art Nouveau and Art Deco interiors which are usually closed to the public. A unique opportunity to (re) discovers these gems of Brussels’ architectural heritage!
Artonov Festival
This Festival is inspired by the international Art Nouveau movement, as much by its philosophy as by its application. It creates a convergence of the performing arts, including music, dance, theatre, and the visual arts by encouraging interdisciplinarity. This new edition of the ARTONOV Festival will be on the theme “What the day owes the night”. Lockdown has been a challenge for all of us as individuals, as communities and for society as a whole. It is now time to bring light after this dark period by reconnecting with cultural events.
Archiweek
Archiweek will put the spotlight on contemporary architecture in the Brussels Region. From 5 to 13 October 2020, urban.brussels is offering guided tours of contemporary projects, symposia, workshops, conferences and exhibitions available to all. Architectural firms will also open their doors to the public. This year, the event will be curated by Traumnovelle, a militant architectural faction based in Brussels, de humbble, an exploratory design laboratory, and Katía Truijen, a theorist and media researcher. Advocating for quality urban life in times of pandemic and beyond and exploring the boundaries that will define our urban production sites, the curatorial team will present a selection of some 20 contemporary works in Brussels, explained and opened up to the public on the weekend of 10 and 11 October 2020.
Brussels Biennale – Neoclassic
Neoclassicism is omnipresent in Brussels and bears witness to the profound changes in urban space in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Brussels Biennale – Neoclassic (BBN), aims to highlight this somewhat forgotten heritage during two weekends in October. The programme includes guided tours of Neoclassical interiors which are usually closed to the public, conferences, etc. A unique opportunity to (re)discover these gems of Brussels’ architectural heritage!
Brussels Biennale of Modern Architecture – BBMA
Reliving Modern Isms is the title of the fourth Brussels Biennale of Modern Architecture. It highlights the little-known modernist heritage of Brussels. The Bienniale offers a unique opportunity to fully discover this architecture during interior visits, walks and film screenings. The houses opened for the occasion are remarkable. Visits are enhanced by the presence of the owners who, through their experience, bring real added value to the discovery.
