Rue Van den Heede

“A street named Van den Heede? In Lille?” a curious voice questioned. Rue Van den Heede. A seemingly unassuming street in Lille, France. It holds a secret. It shares its name with a remarkable Art Nouveau house in Brussels, the Maison Van den Heede. Designed by Gustave Strauven in 1902, this architectural gem boasts expansive bay windows covering most of its facade. A striking imbalance in the width of the building’s two sections adds to its unique charm. The smaller section is recessed, while the base of the main section curves gently. Three distinct materials—red brick, white brick, and blue stone—alternate in bands across the facade, creating a rhythmic polychromy. The white brick gradually gives way to red brick as the building rises. The top floor is a mansard roof. The smaller left section features a series of stacked bay windows. On the right, an unusually tall ground floor includes a basement window below the main bay. An impressive bow window dominates the upper level. On the mansard roof, brick flying buttresses frame a dormer window and two pilasters. Wrought iron grilles, crafted in a whiplash design, protect the stacked bays on the ground floor. They also form a balcony in front of the dormer window on the top floor. While Rue Van den Heede in Lille may not possess the same architectural flair as its Brussels namesake, the shared name hints at a possible connection. Perhaps a Lille resident, inspired by Strauven’s masterpiece, named the street in its honor. The mystery remains, adding a touch of intrigue to this quiet corner of Lille.