november-2010

great gothic and medieval buildings, but
while such genres are also found in Brussels,
the capital is beleaguered with a fragmented
urban landscape. Whole neighbourhoods
have been destroyed to make way for new
buildings, and with them many fine examples
of the city’s architecture.
Today, though, Brussels’ patrimony is
under the auspices of Charles Picqué,
minister-president of the Brussels-Capital
Region. Since the region was established
20 years ago “a great deal has improved,”
says Picqué’s advisor Pascale Ingelaere, and
the excesses of the past will be avoided by
the implementation of stronger legislation.
There isn’t an active restoration programme
per se, but grants of up to 80% towards the
costs of such works are available to private
owners. And should a building be on the list
of 3,000 or so maintained by the Monuments
and Sites Department, planning restrictions
are quite onerous.
Villa victory
Amongst the best examples of a near-
perfect restoration of a heritage building
in conjunction with the Brussels-Capital
Region is the recent refurbishment of Villa
Empain. Commissioned in 1930 by Baron
Louis Empain, son of a wealthy industrialist,
the interiors feature beautiful art deco
detailing and rich tropical wood panelling.
Now, the careful restoration under Francis
Metzger of Ma2 has delivered a polished
granite façade typical of the architectural
genre. Faced with many challenges given the
dilapidated state of the building, Metzger
went to extraordinary lengths to find the
Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine November 2010 59