Hôtel Otlet, Art Nouveau private mansion in Brussels, Belgium.

Hôtel Otlet is a corner town house built of Savonnières stone, a golden cut stone from Lorraine, above a blue-stone basement. Its two asymmetrical facades meet at a rounded corner oriel, and the only facade ornament is a frieze of arabesques and scallop shells on a blue background beneath the cornice. The Rue de Florence side has a porch vaulted in glazed white brick and a first-floor loggia.

Built from 1894 to 1898 for the jurist, bibliographer and entrepreneur Paul Otlet, the house was designed by Octave Van Rysselberghe, with Henry van de Velde contributing to the interior decoration. It came more than ten years after Van Rysselberghe's Hôtel Goblet d'Alviella of 1882. It was listed as a protected monument in 1984 and restored between 2001 and 2003.

The residence reflects how Belgian architects of that era brought natural forms and artistic details into homes for educated professionals. The blue friezes and wooden decorations show a desire to make everyday spaces feel like art.

Located at the intersection of Rue de Florence and Livourne, the mansion now serves as a law office with limited public access. You can appreciate the architectural details from the street, especially the ornate facade and entrance, which are clearly visible from outside.

The entrance door handles display exceptional metalwork that shows how much care went into every small element of the design. These pieces were not afterthoughts but deliberate artistic choices that matched the importance given to the major architectural features.