Kindergarten n. 15

Victor Horta

Rue Saint-Ghislain 40 | Bruxelles

Ch. Bastin & J. Evrard © urban.brussels
Façade (photo ca 1990)
Horta Museum Archives, Saint-Gilles
Metal framework of the glass roof over the courtyard (photo ca 1900)
© urban.brussels
Covered courtyard (photo 2000)
Horta Museum Archives, Saint-Gilles
Stove, cloakroom, side walkway of the covered courtyard (photo ca 1900)
Architecture & Décoration, 1903, pl.23
Façade (photo ca 1903)
Ch. Bastin & J. Evrard © urban.brussels
Mouldings, façade (photo ca 1990)
Horta Museum Archives, Saint-Gilles
Covered courtyard (photo ca 1900)

This kindergarten is Victor Horta’s only creation in the field of school architecture. He sought to give it a certain freshness, very different from the solemn character of other schools of the period.


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As in often the case with Art Nouveau, the façade presents an asymmetrical composition reflecting the layout of the interior spaces. The main body of the building, which resembles a house, must have been appealing to the children. Spend time studying the many sophisticated details on this façade: the glazed porch that surmounts the entrance rests on wrought iron consoles displaying a design typical of Horta; the chimneys, positioned on each side of the left corner, are connected so as to form a high arch above the building, which also features sculpted stone bands topped with florets...

The school has a simple but very functional layout: the classrooms, cloakrooms, toilets and the refectory are organised around a central courtyard covered with a glass roof providing abundant light. Its very light metal framework was technically advanced for the time. Horta took care over the interior decoration and even saw to the creation of furniture especially tailored to the needs of the children.

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