The Municipal Hall (French: Hôtel communal; Dutch: Gemeentehuis) of Forest is the municipal hall building and the seat of that municipality of Brussels, Belgium. Built between 1935 and 1938,[1] and qualified as a prototype of Brussels' Art Deco, this building illustrates the leading role the style played in public architecture during the interwar period.[2]
In the aftermath of World War I, the municipal authorities of Forest wanted to build a municipal hall representative of its status as a flourishing suburb of Brussels. It was originally planned to build it on the site of the current Royale Union Saint-Gilloise Stadium in the Duden Park district but, after much discussion, it was decided to erect it instead on the grounds of the previous Municipal Hall, a neoclassical building dating from 1828, and in the place of a previous parsonage from 1734.
The current Municipal Hall was designed by the architect Jean-Baptiste Dewin [fr] in 1925,[2] and the municipal council approved the final plans in 1931. The first stone was officially laid on 19 May 1935 and the building was inaugurated on 9 July 1938.[1] The building has important interior and exterior decorations made by such artists as Victor Rousseau, Georges Baltus, Canneel, Stoffyn and Tricot.[citation needed]
Damage and protectionedit
During World War II, the Municipal Hall suffered from bombings in Forest that lead to serious damage to the facade and the entrance portal to the Chaussée de Bruxelles/Brusselsesteenweg.[3]
On 22 October 1992, the exterior, interior and furniture of the building were classified as protected cultural monuments by the Royal Commission for Monuments and Landscapes. Forest's Municipal Hall is also on the list of protected immovable heritage monuments of the Department of Monuments and Landscapes of the Brussels-Capital Region.[4][5]
Architectureedit
The asymmetrical Municipal Hall has a sleek geometric design with a tower on the side. The facades are made of small orange bricks and are adorned with stylised statues.
Toweredit
The building is dominated by the tall silhouette of the tower, symbol of municipal freedoms and the independence of municipal power from the clergy.[1] Placed asymmetrically with respect to the main building, this multi-storey tower is adorned with large copper-sheeted statues. They are gilded with gold leaf and are the work of the sculptors Jacques Marin and Marnix d'Haveloose.
Overview of the tower
View of the tower's sculptures
The upper part of the tower
Portalsedit
The main portal, located on the Chaussée de Bruxelles/Brusselsesteenweg, facing the park and at the foot of the tower, is made of blue stone. It gives access to the Wedding Room, located on the ground floor, and to a monumental staircase of black, grey and white marble, which leads to the Municipal Council Room.[1] The second portal, located on the right side of the building, on the Rue du Curé/Pastoorsstraat, is smaller and gives access to the ticket and administrative offices.[1] The capitals of the portals' pillars are decorated with bas-reliefs that evoke family life and local trades such as brewing, laundry or shoemaking.[2]
Combining orange brick and blue stone, the facades have numerous brick pilasters whose blue stone capitals are adorned with masks from Greek tragedy or the mouths of animals (e.g. fish, felines) from which sometimes emerge drain pipes. The facades have many stepped gables,[2] the largest of which bears representations of a pelican and a seahorse.
Aubry, Françoise; Vandenbreeden, Jos; Vanlaethem, France (2006). L'architecture en Belgique : Art nouveau, art déco et modernisme (in French). Brussels: Éditions Racine. ISBN978-2-87386-467-5.
Van Cauwelaert, Guido (2004). Modernisme Art déco (in French). Sprimont: Pierre Mardaga. ISBN978-2-87009-871-4.
External linksedit
Media related to Vorst-Forest Town Hall at Wikimedia Commons
April 18, 2024
forest, municipal, hall, municipal, hall, french, hôtel, communal, dutch, gemeentehuis, forest, municipal, hall, building, seat, that, municipality, brussels, belgium, built, between, 1935, 1938, qualified, prototype, brussels, deco, this, building, illustrate. The Municipal Hall French Hotel communal Dutch Gemeentehuis of Forest is the municipal hall building and the seat of that municipality of Brussels Belgium Built between 1935 and 1938 1 and qualified as a prototype of Brussels Art Deco this building illustrates the leading role the style played in public architecture during the interwar period 2 Forest Municipal HallHotel communal de Forest French Gemeentehuis van Vorst Dutch Forest s Municipal HallGeneral informationTypeMunicipal hallArchitectural styleArt DecoLocationRue du Cure Pastoorsstraat 2Town or city1190 Forest Brussels Capital RegionCountryBelgiumCoordinates50 48 41 N 4 19 9 E 50 81139 N 4 31917 E 50 81139 4 31917Construction started1935Inaugurated1938Design and constructionArchitect s Jean Baptiste Dewin fr Contents 1 History 1 1 Inception and construction 1 2 Damage and protection 2 Architecture 2 1 Tower 2 2 Portals 2 3 Facades 3 See also 4 References 4 1 Citations 4 2 Bibliography 5 External linksHistory editInception and construction edit In the aftermath of World War I the municipal authorities of Forest wanted to build a municipal hall representative of its status as a flourishing suburb of Brussels It was originally planned to build it on the site of the current Royale Union Saint Gilloise Stadium in the Duden Park district but after much discussion it was decided to erect it instead on the grounds of the previous Municipal Hall a neoclassical building dating from 1828 and in the place of a previous parsonage from 1734 The current Municipal Hall was designed by the architect Jean Baptiste Dewin fr in 1925 2 and the municipal council approved the final plans in 1931 The first stone was officially laid on 19 May 1935 and the building was inaugurated on 9 July 1938 1 The building has important interior and exterior decorations made by such artists as Victor Rousseau Georges Baltus Canneel Stoffyn and Tricot citation needed Damage and protection edit During World War II the Municipal Hall suffered from bombings in Forest that lead to serious damage to the facade and the entrance portal to the Chaussee de Bruxelles Brusselsesteenweg 3 On 22 October 1992 the exterior interior and furniture of the building were classified as protected cultural monuments by the Royal Commission for Monuments and Landscapes Forest s Municipal Hall is also on the list of protected immovable heritage monuments of the Department of Monuments and Landscapes of the Brussels Capital Region 4 5 Architecture editThe asymmetrical Municipal Hall has a sleek geometric design with a tower on the side The facades are made of small orange bricks and are adorned with stylised statues Tower edit The building is dominated by the tall silhouette of the tower symbol of municipal freedoms and the independence of municipal power from the clergy 1 Placed asymmetrically with respect to the main building this multi storey tower is adorned with large copper sheeted statues They are gilded with gold leaf and are the work of the sculptors Jacques Marin and Marnix d Haveloose nbsp Overview of the tower nbsp View of the tower s sculptures nbsp The upper part of the towerPortals edit The main portal located on the Chaussee de Bruxelles Brusselsesteenweg facing the park and at the foot of the tower is made of blue stone It gives access to the Wedding Room located on the ground floor and to a monumental staircase of black grey and white marble which leads to the Municipal Council Room 1 The second portal located on the right side of the building on the Rue du Cure Pastoorsstraat is smaller and gives access to the ticket and administrative offices 1 The capitals of the portals pillars are decorated with bas reliefs that evoke family life and local trades such as brewing laundry or shoemaking 2 nbsp Main portal nbsp Closeup of the portal nbsp Bas reliefs of the portalFacades edit Combining orange brick and blue stone the facades have numerous brick pilasters whose blue stone capitals are adorned with masks from Greek tragedy or the mouths of animals e g fish felines from which sometimes emerge drain pipes The facades have many stepped gables 2 the largest of which bears representations of a pelican and a seahorse nbsp Capital with Greek tragedy mask nbsp Statue nbsp DrainpipeSee also edit nbsp Belgium portalAnderlecht Municipal Hall Brussels Town Hall Molenbeek Saint Jean Municipal Hall Schaerbeek Municipal HallReferences editCitations edit a b c d e Van Cauwelaert 2004 p 84 a b c d Aubry Vandenbreeden amp Vanlaethem 2006 p 259 Het Gemeentehuis Vorst 1190 www vorst irisnet be in Dutch erfgoed1 PDF erfgoed2 PDF Bibliography edit Aubry Francoise Vandenbreeden Jos Vanlaethem France 2006 L architecture en Belgique Art nouveau art deco et modernisme in French Brussels Editions Racine ISBN 978 2 87386 467 5 Van Cauwelaert Guido 2004 Modernisme Art deco in French Sprimont Pierre Mardaga ISBN 978 2 87009 871 4 External links edit nbsp Media related to Vorst Forest Town Hall at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Forest Municipal Hall amp oldid 1212364752, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
