Villa Parador

Built between two worlds, Villa Parador whispers tales of tradition and modernity. Here, on this uneven plot between Louis Jasmin Avenue and Montgolfier Avenue, architect Jacques Dupuis defied convention. He crafted Villa Parador, a post-war marvel, for his brother, Paul-Victor. The year was 1948, and Brussels was still reeling from the war. Yet, here stood this modernist gem, a testament to resilience and innovation. Dupuis’s brother had a strict vision. The villa needed to function as both a family home and a professional space. Dupuis was given free rein. He designed not only the building and gardens but also the bronze window frames and even the furniture. Villa Parador embraces the sun’s path. It sits back from the street, offering privacy and a sense of intrigue. The street-facing facade, stark and white, is almost entirely windowless. Only narrow, slit-like openings and a deeply framed entrance break the fortress-like exterior. This design element was so unconventional that the local authorities initially deemed the facade “ugly.” They granted building permission only under the condition that a row of poplars would be planted to obscure it. Contrast this with the garden side. Numerous windows invite the outside in. The three-story tower dominates the rear, divided into four sections. Opaque and transparent surfaces alternate beneath a wide, overhanging roof. Dupuis’s material choices reflect a deep connection to the past. Reclaimed Spanish bricks from demolished buildings in Brussels’s center blend with Ardeens rubble stone and traditional blue stone. These traditional materials merge seamlessly with Scandinavian influences, creating a unique blend of local heritage and international flair. The square tower and slit-like windows evoke medieval fortresses. The entrance boasts a decorative, baroque touch, a nod to the 1950s aesthetic. Inside, Villa Parador unfolds. A vaulted entrance hall connects the front and back gardens, creating a sense of continuity between interior and exterior spaces. The reception room boasts an impressive asymmetrical fireplace and, since 1978, murals by artist P. Boelman. The “Pink Room,” once intended as a library, transformed into a children’s playroom and then a small salon. Mirrors placed opposite each other create an illusion of infinite space. Upstairs, a cozy salon with cedar paneling and star-shaped ceiling molding leads to the dining room. The dining room, a central gathering space, opens onto the garden through a large window and terrace. The garden itself was designed by Dupuis as an extension of the architectural concept. A large lawn, bisected by a paved path and surrounded by tall trees, creates a sense of seclusion and serenity. Dupuis sprinkled symbolic elements throughout Villa Parador. A female figure emerging from a well, surrounded by a serpent and illuminated by the sun, adorns the keystone above the entrance. The word “vérité” (truth) is inscribed below. These symbols, along with stars, recur on the entrance hall tiles, doors, and ceilings. Even the garden fountain contains a chronogram, proclaiming, “Here is man blessed, just as the deep well filled with water.” On the back of the door between the main entrance and the staircase, a poignant inscription reads: “Within the peace and gentle warmth of your walls, within their light against the night, the cold, the fear, keep us, family home.” Villa Parador remains, protected since 2000, a testament to Jacques Dupuis’s vision.