Marvel at the Art Deco style. It defines the H\u00f4tel Haerens. This master house stands as one of Antoine Courtens’ most significant works in Brussels.
Welcome to the H\u00f4tel Haerens. It is located at 384 Avenue Brugmann. The building graces the corner of Rue de la Ram\u00e9e. This location is in the lower part of the avenue in Uccle.
Antoine Courtens designed this house for Robert Haerens. Robert was an engineer with the Empain group. His wife Luisa Robelus was a sculptor. The H\u00f4tel Haerens construction spanned from 1928 to 1931. Courtens also designed Palais de la Folle Chanson. Both are significant Art Deco examples.
Before creating H\u00f4tel Haerens, Courtens worked with Victor Horta. He contributed to the Palais des Beaux-Arts project in Brussels. Courtens then gained experience in Paris, Lyon and D\u00fcsseldorf.
Notice the fragmented volumes that define H\u00f4tel Haerens. The corner treatment features a striking rotunda. The facade presents a main section along Avenue Brugmann. A secondary facade extends along Rue de la Ram\u00e9e.
On Avenue Brugmann, observe the entrance. A rounded porch features fluted columns. Above it sits an oriel with three windows. The facade continues with a slightly projecting section. It has three rectangular bays on each level. The rotunda seamlessly connects both facades. Each level has four windows. A copper cupola tops an additional story.
Turning to Rue de la Ram\u00e9e, spot a second entrance. A translucent glass and hammered iron door marks it. Above is a triplet of projecting windows and a loggia. Further along is a garage door. You will see another triplet of windows and a large tripartite bay.
The facades combine two ornamentation styles. Some elements borrow from Greco-Roman antiquity. Look for fluted columns. Also see cartouches with fluted pilasters. Dentil friezes sit under the cornices. Other decorative elements show influence from Frank Lloyd Wright. Courtens apprenticed with Victor Horta. Horta had visited Wright’s works during his US exile. Courtens integrated Wright-inspired geometric ornaments into his designs.
Geometric ornaments adorn the attic frieze. These resemble those on Wright’s Unity Temple and Hollyhock House. Similar motifs decorate the pilasters. They separate the bays on the rotunda’s story. These patterns echo those in Horta’s Palais des Beaux-Arts. Courtens helped design some of those ornaments.
The Region of Brussels-Capital subsidized a restoration in 2009-2010. Today offices occupy the building. The building has been a classified site since August 1988. Its reference number is 2311-0037/0.
The H\u00f4tel Haerens stands as a testament to Art Deco. It blends historical influences with modern aesthetics. Courtens’ vision has left an enduring mark on Brussels’ architectural landscape.