This building in Art Nouveau style from 1899 designed by the architect Paul Saintenoy is in use today as a museum of instruments but in the past it used to be one of the most beautiful shops of Brussels.

The construction consits of a squeletton of cast iron and steel and is, surely for that time, very progressive. Because of the carrying metal construction a lot of glas could be used. The little guerite tower with a decorative wrought iron above and the belvédère in form of a dome on the roof, shows the artistic desire of the architect and the wish to become an optimal light effect. The fassades were extra decorated with a metal polychromy and coloured glazed stoneware pannels.

The central oriel rests on little slanting pillars,that carry capitels with an egyptian accent. These refer to the Art Nouveau.

The elegant wrought iron and the friezes with tiles make the decorative radiation of the whole.

Nederlands
Français