Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta, Art Nouveau town houses in Brussels, Belgium
Victor Horta's Major Town Houses are four spacious urban dwellings that showcase defining features of the Art Nouveau style: curved iron railings, expansive windows, and ornamental stonework. The interiors merge the building's structure seamlessly with decorative details, allowing daylight to filter through multiple levels.
Between 1893 and 1901, Victor Horta designed these four dwellings for prominent Brussels patrons, creating a new model for urban living. His use of modern materials like steel and glass combined with artisanal details revolutionized how architects planned townhouses.
These residences reveal how prosperous Brussels families of the era wanted to live, with open floor plans that connected work and leisure spaces. Every room was designed so that natural light and artistic details became part of daily life.
Two of the four houses - the Horta Museum on rue Américaine and Hotel Solvay - are open to visitors, while the other two remain private residences. It is recommended to visit the open houses at different times to explore each thoroughly and grasp the subtle differences in their design.
Each house contains custom-made furniture, stained glass, and ceramic tiles designed specifically for its spaces rather than as separate artworks. These integrated furnishings turn every room into a complete artistic whole rather than simply a collection of decorative objects.
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