The Tassel mansion

Today, this mansion is considered to be a blueprint for Art Nouveau architecture.  Indeed, it may well be the first perfectly designed Art Nouveau structure in Belgium. Victor Horta came up with the plans for it as early as 1892!

It was the engineer Émile Tassel, a professor at ULB and Horta’s great friend, who decided to entrust him with the construction of his private mansion. Tassel was single and would be living there with his grandmother.

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 Solvay mansion and the van Eetvelde mansion with extension.

FACADE

This beautiful façade was already very different from those of the neighbouring houses. The central position of the front door is in itself an innovation. However, the flat surfaces of the façade, which appear to be absorbed by the broad curve of the bow window, are particularly worthy of note. The simplicity and the power of this shape endow it with a modernity impressive for the time.

INTERIORS

Crossing its threshold, you will discover a sumptuous world combining stained glass windows, mosaics, wall paintings and wrought iron. The whole interior combines Japanese influence with inspiration derived directly from the plant world.

Above all, Horta wanted to avoid any reference to the academic architecture of the past.

The landing on the bel étage, or main floor, receives zenithal lighting from a skylight and from the glass roof of the winter garden. A mosaic floor enlivened with arabesques has the effect of visually unifying the stairwell, the landing on the bel étage and the winter garden, concealing the grates that once blew out warm air. The very colourful stained glass windows resemble huge Japanese prints.

Tassel, an amateur photographer, set up his projection equipment on the mezzanine, in a small room set aside for this purpose. An opening in the railing enabled him to pass the image through to the screen, which was put up in the lounge.

This house can be visited during certain events.