The Solvay mansion

Here you are on the prestigious Avenue Louise, where one of the most remarkable creations by architect Victor Horta stands before you. It was designed for one of the country’s wealthiest individuals, the industrialist Armand Solvay, who wanted a private mansion proportionate to his success. It appears that the architect had access to almost unlimited financial resources.

The Solvay mansion is a true blueprint of Horta’s ideas and one of the most successful creations of his career.

This house is part of the "Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta", a set inscribed on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO. The other houses included in the set are the architect's house and studio, the Tassel mansion and the van Eetvelde mansion and extension.

FACADE

This façade is fairly symmetrical and reinterprets those of all the mansions that once existed on this avenue: a wide balcony for the bel étage, or main floor, and a carriage entrance leading to the stables. But it also consists of glass and iron, which are resolutely modern.

Note the numerous air vents that pierce the façade; these provide each room with natural air-conditioning.

INTERIORS

The interior is a true visual explosion. Horta used the finest and most precious materials of his time: marbles, exotic woods, velvets, gold and brass. The overall colour scheme, ranging from red to orange tones, enhances the ambiance of luxury and comfort.

Yet Horta also dared to use materials normally associated with industry (varnished bricks, riveted beams) for this luxury house, which earned him the admiration of some and strong criticism from others.

The double flight staircase is topped by a fan-shaped glass roof and leads to an imposing Pointillist painting by Théo Van Rysselberghe. All of the furniture and the chandeliers are still present in the house, as are the carpets, clocks and vases.

This masterpiece can be visited by booking in advance and is certainly a wonder to behold; you will not be disappointed.