The French Pavilions

The French Pavilions were protected in 2005.

The apartment complex at Notelaarstraat 282, or Les Pavilions Français as the building is also known, was built between 1931 and 1934 to a design by Marcel Peeters. In the mid-1920s, living in an apartment became popular among the affluent bourgeoisie. Several factors contributed to this. Firstly, there was an urgent need for housing after the First World War. At the same time, prices rose, and living in an apartment was less expensive than in a single-family home. An additional advantage was that the maintenance of an apartment was simpler, reducing the need for staff. Moreover, living on a floor without level differences was seen as a significant benefit, as was the comfort of modern amenities such as hot water, central heating, and a modern kitchen. In the 1920s, several very luxurious apartment buildings were erected in Brussels. Lucien Kaisin and his son Gerard Kaisin initiated Les Pavilions Français in 1930. Marcel Peeters created the design for this building. Although these were still very luxurious apartments, the concept of Les Pavilions Français was less extravagant than that of the Residence Palace. There were, however, some communal facilities, such as a system for mail, garbage collection, a restaurant (though it is unclear whether it was ever used as such), and reception rooms on the ground floor so that it was not always necessary to receive visitors in the private environment. But everything was somewhat more modest than at the Residence Palace.

Basilica Koekelberg