Overview

At the end of the 19th century, the port of Brussels gradually moved out of the city centre, bringing major changes to the north of the city. The old port basins were filled in and, even before the First World War, a new district plan around Sainctelette Square was drawn up. Most of the new buildings, however, only appeared during the interwar period. André Citroën understood that architecture could serve as a powerful calling card for a company. He chose pure modernism for his complex, located next to the Kaaitheater, an Art Deco jewel. Both buildings are currently undergoing major renovation. The Citroën site is being transformed into a new museum of contemporary art, KANAL Centre Pompidou (scheduled to open at the end of 2026). The Kaaitheater will reopen in 2027 with a new wing on the Akenkaai side, featuring an additional theatre hall, artist studios and a city balcony. Today, these buildings are characterised by a combination of commercial space and warehouses on the ground floor and apartments on the upper floors. Although the target group is not the affluent middle class, as in the upscale district outside the city centre, a great deal of attention has been paid to the architectural aspect. Here, you will find magnificent examples of Art Deco and the Beaux-Arts movement, as well as all the transitional forms in between. These buildings reflect the economic realities of the time, representative ambitions and, in the case of Gérard Koninckx Frères' commercial premises, decorated with tropical fruit, the fusion of advertising and architecture. In collaboration with Korei Guided Tours.

Practical information

Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 to 16:00

square Sainctelette 19, 1000 Brussels

Meeting point: In front of the Kaaitheater End point: L'Archiduc, rue Antoine Dansaert 6, 1000 Brussels

Advance booking required.

Address
square Sainctelette 19, 1000 Brussels