Overview

Comprising 275 homes - more than half of the 500 initially planned - the Cité Moderne is the work of architect Victor Bourgeois, who, aged just 25, oversaw the construction of the complex between 1922 and 1925 with the collaboration of Louis Van der Swaelmen. Once it was completed, the Cité was awarded the Grand Prix at the 1925 Exhibition of Modern Decorative Arts, bringing international recognition to its designer. It is widely cited in architectural works. Convinced that the garden city would contribute to the emergence of a new city, Victor Bourgeois designed functional housing - apartments and single-family homes - surrounded by greenery. Today, these houses are occupied as social housing, perpetuating the original aim of meeting a collective housing need. A veritable champion of "Cubist" architecture in Belgium and a striking manifesto of international modernism, the Cité features a layout of short streets, cul-de-sacs, plazas and squares. These spaces are designed to accommodate green areas - lawns, trees, shrubs, hedges - conducive to encounters and conviviality between residents.

Practical information

Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00

place de l’Initiative, 1082 Berchem-Sainte-Agathe

Advance booking not required.

Accessible

Address
place de l’Initiative, 1082 Berchem-Sainte-Agathe