You can spot several interesting Art Nouveau houses around the Parc du Forest in Brussels. But the Villa Beau-Site at Avenue du Mont Kemmel 5 is the one that stands out.
It was built in 1905 by the Dutch architect Arthur Nelissen as his own family home. The main feature of the narrow house is an enormous horseshoe arch on the first floor that shelters a small loggia. But there are other details that catch your eye such as the ornate wooden door and the tiny balcony on the top floor.
The façade is mainly made of brick. But not the red brick you usually see in Brussels. It is faced with enamelled white brick and green brick laid in patterns to catch the light.
The Villa Beau-Site forms part of a row of houses built between 1904 and 1910 in various eclectic styles. Together, they represent the endless diversity of Brussels architecture.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
