After two years of renovation work, the municipality of Saint-Gilles has reopened Maison Pelgrims. It cost nearly €1 million to restore the listed mansion and preserve its exceptional heritage.
The municipality of Saint-Gilles officially reopened Maison Pelgrims on Friday 12 September after two years of renovation works. The listed architectural gem, built in 1905 by Adolphe Pirenne for the Colson family and then redesigned in 1927 by architect Fernand Petit at the request of pharmacist and industrialist Eugène Pelgrims, has been restored to its former glory. The municipality acquired the residence in 1963, and the building has housed the municipal culture department since the 2000s.
The restoration project began in October 2023 and cost nearly €1 million, including €372,568 in regional subsidies. The work focused on the electrical installations, ceilings, floors and stairs, the winter garden, the woodwork, and the entire fire safety system.
"The renovation of this architectural gem required very specific techniques and expertise, as well as rigorous monitoring to ensure that its heritage character was preserved and enhanced," Loes Salomez (Groen) told BX1. The dome and Art Deco stained glass windows of the winter garden, the marble in the bathroom, and the central oak staircase have been expertly restored.
Credit: Belga / Mateusz Kukulka
The restoration also revealed many unexpected treasures: decorative friezes that had been hidden from view were uncovered, as well as doors concealed behind partitions, and several forgotten built-in pieces of furniture.
In a former utility room, a double sink, hidden for a quarter of a century, was discovered intact.
The double sink discovered during the works. Credit: Belga / Mateusz Kukulka
"This project brings together our priorities for culture in Saint-Gilles: quality infrastructure, renovation, and promotion of heritage," Mayor Jean Spinette (PS) told BX1. "We are proud to return this exceptional heritage to the people, respecting its history, while opening it up to contemporary creation," he added.
"The reopening of Maison Pelgrims is a truly special moment for us and for all the artists of Saint-Gilles," added Francesco Iammarino (Ecolo), Councillor for Culture.
Brussels Secretary of State for Urban Planning and Heritage Ans Persoons (Vooruit) praised the "urban revitalisation" comparable to the recent renovations of Paulus Park and the Parvis de Saint-Gilles. "I really like the eclectic nature of this building. From one room to another, you go from one style to another," she said.
Maison Pelgrims. Credit: Belga / Mateusz Kukulka
The residence, listed as a protected heritage site since 2021, has retained its grand staircase decorated with cherubs, a reception room with a sculpted ceiling, and a magnificent bow window.
An eclectic mix of eras, typical of 19th-century Europe, can be observed in the building: Romanticism (as seen in the garden), Neo-Renaissance (such as the dining room, large living room, and bedrooms), Flemish Renaissance (seen on the façade), and Art Deco (the winter garden decorated with a fountain).
The garden surrounding the building, Pierre Paulus Park – named after the painter and engraver who was the first president of the Saint-Gilles Art Group – was once the private garden of the Pelgrims family. It became a public park in 1969, was landscaped in 1972, and was classified as a site in 1997.
Credit: Belga / Mateusz Kukulka
Maison Pelgrims is now once again welcome artists in residence, exhibitions, and conferences and has a series of events planned this month to celebrate its grand reopening.
Over the weekend, it opened its doors on the occasion of the Brussels Heritage Day, with guided tours on Saturday. There will also be a cabaret on 26 September and a meeting with Saskia Pelgrims de Bigard – a descendant of Eugène Pelgrims – for 'Matrimoine Days' on 27 September. The alternative 'Journées du Matrimoine' explore the capital's artistic, political and feminist heritage and will take place from 26 to 28 September this year.
