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Watersportbaan |
No doubt that this town-building project is the most important and successful one in Ghent since 1945. The urbanisation of the Neermeersen resulted in a green supply of recreation and sports facilities (Watersportbaan, Blaarmeersen) and 6 social housing projects in high-rise. Elektra, Dennenhof and the 'red' towers have severe looks. The buildings across the Jubileumlaan are an example of expressive concrete architecture, while the Belvedere Tower is clearly influenced by the Brussels World Exhibition 1958 style. |
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Boekentoren |
Henry van de Velde ended up his career with this absolute master-piece. The listed 'Tower of Books' counts 64 metres and houses the central library of the Ghent University. This lighthouse of science and knowledge dominates the town from the highest hill in a stunning combination of modernism and art deco. |
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Parc Residence |
The first 'sky-scraper' in Ghent was designed by Oscar Van de Voorde (well-known of the Ghent World Exhibition of 1913). Since 1925 the listed building (1991) hasn't lost anything of its original glamour. A curious mixture of beaux arts style and proto art deco elements. |
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UCO Tower |
The strongest example of modernist corporate architecture in Ghent. On the border with Ledeberg the UCO-tower (dating from 1959) is a beacon along the highway. The building is a copy of an Insurance Company Building in Karlsruhe by German architects Theodor Kelter and H. Feltes. |
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EGW HQ |
Since 1992, this building by Geo Bontinck houses the Public City Library of Ghent. Originally it was designed in the late 1950s as an administrative and exhibitional complex for the Municipal Electricity, Gas and Water Services. |
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Scheldeoord |
The first large scale social housing project in Ghent in high-rise. This complex in 'Nieuwe Zakelijkheid' dates from 1929-1931. By the hand of architect Paul De Taeye. |
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EBES HQ |
The Electrabel headquarters along the Rooseveltlaan unify a new construction of 1999 with a gentleman's house of 1840 and the original EBES-HQ of 1957. |
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Résidence Albert Ier |
A sober art deco apartment house in Ghent, next to the King Albert Parc. |
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RVS Building |
Architect Jos. Baeyens designed this block of flats in the railway station neighbourhood. He chose a front in pure art deco. |
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Britannia |
Brutal Britannia rules the Ghent Groot-Brittanniëlaan. A high-rise design in Exhibition 1958 style. |
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Zuidpark |
The King Albert Parc with its strict geometrical forms is a fine example of 1930's art deco landscaping architecture. |
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Hollainhof |
'The fourth beguinage' of Ghent is definitely a climax in post war Ghent architecture. Dutch architect Willem-Jan Neutelings created the social accomodation complex along the Brusselsepoortstraat in the 1990's. |
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Olympia |
The original plans of this social lodging project with duplexes and plenty of community services were drawn by Gaston Eysselinck in 1953 and inspired by the Marseille 'Unité d'Habitation' by Le Corbusier. After the tragical death of Eysselinck, Geo Bontinck and Robert Rubbens redesigned the plans. |
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Province House |
The buildings of the provincial government of East Flanders were designed by Valentin Vaerwyck in a robust art deco way. |
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Glorieux Institute |
In Oostakker (Ghent) the Friars of Notre Dame of Lourdes, built the normal school of Sint-Jan Berchmans in 'Nieuwe Zakelijkheid'. This streamline deco monument was preceded in 1932 by a technical school in art deco style. |
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'Vooruit' Newspaper |
Geometrical art deco for the former buildings of the socialist daily newspaper 'Vooruit' (Forward) and its printing-office 'Het Licht' (The Light). A splendid design by Fernand Brunfaut from 1930 situated in the Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat. Listed. |
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Groothandelsmarkt |
The wholesale market building is a splendid but hardly known example of utility architecture. The construction will be torn down in 2003 and will be replaced by the new AA Gent football stadium. |
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RTT Tower |
For most Ghent citizens, the 1970s RTT or Belgacom Tower of Geo and Dirk Bontinck is an unacceptable pollution of the Ghent skyline. Are they right? |
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Robert Brasseur |
1958 social housing by Fritz Coppieters in a radical high-rise in the center of Ghent. |
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'Vooruit' Pharmacy |
Adjacent to the Dampoort Railway station, Paul De Taeye designed an art deco block of flats, containing a pharmacy of the 'Vooruit' Cooperation. |
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Sportstraat |
Modernist apartment house with fine art deco accents at the corner of Sportstraat and Patijntjestraat. A design by J.M. Joris. |
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Van Hoorebeke |
The Home Antoine Van Hoorebeke is an intimate place with 126 cubist styled houses for elderly people. Designed in 1930 by Paul De Taeye |
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Josi HQ |
The Josi offices from 1959 chose classical modernism to assure clients of the solidity of their insurance company. Designed by Brussels architect A.J. Vanden Berghe. |
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Trianon Residence |
Architect Lefebvre created this residential apartment block in a severe art deco style at the corner of Sportstraat and Patijntjestraat. |
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Excelsior |
The impressive buildings of the Excelsior brewery (situated between Steendam and Nieuwpoort) didn't get a serious chance with a renovation project. Nearly everything -except a corner with stained glass in art deco style- got torn down and was replaced by a social housing project of low inspiration. |
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Andrieslaan |
The dwellings along the Schepen Charles Andrieslaan date from 1954-55 and are a magnificent prelude to the large-scale urbanisation projects all around the Watersportbaan. Architect Jules Trenteseau designed them. |
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Résidence Géry |
A modest apartment building of circa 1940 by Ghent architect Emile De Nil. |
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Bollekensschool |
Severe school building dating from 1967 by the hand of architect Paul Robiette. Situated nearby the Watersportbaan. |
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Christus Koning |
The modernist church of King Christ by Adrien Bressers dates from 1969 and is located in Nieuw Gent. |
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Groenebriel |
This social accomodation project in the center of Ghent made tabula rasa with the slum dwellings in the Groenebriel neighbourhood. By architect Jules Trenteseau. |
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Ledeganck Tower |
In 1959 the University of Ghent set a new architectural statement. Jules Trenteseau -once more- drew the plans for the Faculty of Sciences. |
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Technicum |
With the Technical Laboratories of the University, Gustave Magnel got an opportunity to prove his talent for the study of concrete. Situated between the river Schelde and the Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat. |
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AZ |
The first buildings of the Academic Hospital (now University Hospital) of Ghent were designed and partly built before World War II by the CAVAZ-group consisting of Henry van de Velde, Jean Norbert Cloquet, Armand Cerulus, Gustave Magnel and August Desmet. |
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Agriculture |
The Faculty of Agricultural Sciences was built by architects August Poppe and G. Collin between 1937 and 1940 along the Coupure canal. |
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Home Fabiola |
Home Queen Fabiola is a 1961 University student lodging project in a royal turquoise blue colour. This project was repeated in 1966 with the 14 story Home King Boudewijn. |
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Couture Rosa |
Small but impressive modernist apartment building. Formerly it contained a prestigious haute couture house. This 'Nieuwe Zakelijkheid' project dates from 1934 and was designed by Prosper Buyck. The actual renovation is led by Edilbert Haentjens. |
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Stapelhuis |
The original 'Royal Warehouse' was built in 1844 but was destroyed in a 1921 fire. The reconstruction of this Louis Roelandt building was done in a sober way. |
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C&A |
In nearly every Belgian town, Léon Stynen built the C&A department stores with radical fronts. |
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Kortrijksepoortstr. |
Streamline esthetics on high-rise are quite seldom in Ghent. This apartment house by Paul Stevens (Louvain) can be found in the Kortrijksepoortstraat. |
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Résidence du Sud |
1955 apartment building designed by André Claessens. Preceded in 1952 by Central Park, another interesting residential block by the same architect, along the Hubert Frère-Orbanlaan. |
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Kouter |
This apartment block in the center of Ghent was built in an old fashioned style. This interbellum building is designed by G. De Backere and was executed by the firm of the notorious Frans Amelinckx. |
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Belgradostraat |
In the red light district of Ghent you can also find also this impressive interbellum building at the corner of the Belgradostraat and the Pelikaanstraat. |
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ICC |
The International Congress Center by Geo and Dirk Bontinck has the looks of a boat sailing high across Citadel Parc. |
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Heilig Kruis |
The church of the Holy Cross is a modernist church dating from 1965 and designed by Paul Van Maele. Situated in the quarter of Westveld (Sint-Amandsberg). |
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Institute of St.-Paul |
For the housing of their 1938 school 'Sint-Paulusinstituut', the 'Broeders van Liefde' chose a simple modern style with some art deco ornaments. Their favourite architect Alfons Van de Vijver drew the plans. |
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J.J. Dierman |
The textile works J.J. Dierman in the Keizer Leopoldstraat is a fine example of industrial art deco architecture. |
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Résidence Owe |
Residential block of flats (1947) by J.M. Joris at the corner of the Sportstaat and the Rijsenbergstraat. |
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Rijsenberg |
Rijsenberg I and II, a residential high-rise in the neighbourhood of the Watersportbaan. |
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Securex |
The HQ of Securex perfectly matches the high-rise projects along the Watersportbaan. |
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Charles & Gerald Hoge |
A broad variety of styles for Charles and Gerald Hoge's residential housing projects in Ghent. |
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Emile & Jean De Nil |
De Nil senior and junior filled the lanes next to the King Albert Parc with lots of residential apartment blocks. |
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Leus & Gavel |
The architects Em. Leus and P. Gavel started with post art deco apartment buildings and ended up in the sixties with two flashy towers. |
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Circular Canal |
In 1969, the circular canal made an end to the regular floods that distressed Ghent. 4 suspension-bridges and a railway viaduct are just a few examples of this gigantic endeavour. |
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Zavelpoort |
This is a hardly known interbellum social housing project. Created by the architects V. Van den Hove et R. Van Bambeke and located between the Kortrijksepoortstraat and the Van Hulthemstraat. |
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Rive d'Or |
From the right point of view, this apartment building by architect R. Decambray along the canal Visserij, looks like a barrel. |
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Jozef Wauters |
Social lodging in the Rabot neighbourhood. A design dating from 1966 by Robert Rubbens. |
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Nieuw Gent |
'New Ghent', is a suburbian high-rise area south of Ghent. The neighbourhood is waiting for some major renovation projects to find a new breath. |
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Benelux |
A beautiful ceramic decoration by artist Paul De Bruyne for this apartment house, at the corner between Dok-Noord and Stapelplein. |
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Home Standing |
For several generations of Ghent citizens, the '1000 Vuren' and 'Home Standing' were a top shopping spot. The most recent department store dates from 1966. By Jean De Nil. |
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O.-L.-V.-Koningin |
Church dating from 1961 by architect Rutger Langaskens along the Blaisantvest. |
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BVM Center |
In 1971, Brussels architects René Stapels and Polak designed this commercial and office project for a Belgian insurance company. |
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A.C. Gentbrugge |
The district hall of Gentbrugge was completed in 1973 following the plans by architect Paul Felix |
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More |
Apartment house Clarissenstraat, apartment house Sud (Rooseveltlaan), Résidence Minerve (Frère-Orbanlaan), apartment house Magistral (Frère-Orbanlaan), apartment house Isis (Frère-Orbanlaan, arch. P. Robiette, 1960), apartment house Westrode (Martelaarslaan, ir.-arch. R. Van De Sompel, 1964), the corporate dwellings of Bowater Philips (New-Orleansstraat, ir.-arch. Hugo Van Kuyck, 1960), Residentie Alençon (Burgstraat, arch. Theo Martens), apartment house De Boei (Brugse Vaart), social lodging project Paradijsvogelplein (Sint-Amandsberg, Westveld, 1959), het Technisch Instituut en Hotelschool Tweebruggen (Nieuwebosstraat, arch. Paul De Taeye, 1937), the social housing project Emiel Moyson (Emiel Moysonlaan, ir.-arch. Jules Trenteseau, 1956), the BRT2-building (Martelaarslaan, arch. Albert Preys), an interbellum apartment house in the Jakob Heremansstraat (arch. Fritz Coppieters), the University HQ (Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat, arch. Zerck-Mulder, 1977) and an artistic impression of the construction of the E3 Highway in 1970 by Etienne Hublau. |
Why ? |
What you will find on these pages and what you won't. In Dutch. | |
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Links |
Some links about architecture in Ghent. Also other centuries. In Dutch, but some referred sites provide other languages. |
Contact |
Translation : Gert Defever and Peter Kok. Your remarks are welcomed by gert.defever @advalvas.be |
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http://membres.lycos.fr/architectuur/ghent.html |
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| Updated on the 1st of January 2003. | ||
Extra |
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Cuba |
Havana is the nearly unknown capital of art
deco
and modernism. Website in Dutch and partly in English and Spanish.
http://membres.lycos.fr/architectuur/cuba/en-cuba.html |
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