Hidden in plain sight on Boulevard Brand Whitlock stands the Hôtel du comte d’Oultremont. It’s a grand mansion, now part of the ICHEC campus. But its story begins long before students roamed these halls. In 1924, architect Paul Bonduelle designed this beautiful Beaux-Arts style home for Count Hermann d’Oultremont. The mansion boasts three levels, each slightly shorter than the one below, creating a visually appealing stepped effect. Its elegant white stone facade is accented with orange brick, a common feature of Beaux-Arts architecture. Look closely at the ground floor. You’ll see continuous bossages with molded dividers that radiate above the arched doorways. The upper floors feature pilasters, adding to the building’s classical feel. The windows, framed in stone, are rectangular and arranged in sets of three. On the second floor, notice the decorative touch: oak leaf garlands adorn the window sills. The original woodwork remains, including a stunning carved wooden door with an intricate wrought-iron grille above. Inside, the ground floor room facing the street holds a medieval-inspired decor. The real treasure, however, is the rococo-inspired staircase. Admire the ornate stucco work and the oak staircase itself, possibly salvaged from an 18th-century house. The bottom of the banister features carved rocailles, shell-like ornaments typical of the rococo style. The Hôtel du comte d’Oultremont stands as a testament to a bygone era of elegance and grandeur, a hidden gem within a bustling university campus.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to