Spa Art Nouveau, 'Rayon de Solell', a beautiful example of geometric Art Nouveau

Those who associate Art Nouveau with flowing lines and elements from nature will be surprised by a stricter and more linear character here. This house is a fine example of geometric Art Nouveau. Outside the window on the balcony, the windows are 'angular'. Even the gray stone frames accentuate that regularity. Moreover, the façade is divided horizontally by gray bands of hard stone. The decoration can be found in the color shades of the natural stone and the surprising top floor where the windows are set in yellowish brick. However, the abundant use of brownish natural stone increased the construction costs. This rubble stone came from a quarry located between Spa and Theux. According to tradition, the architect, Arthur Noël, went there himself to choose them one by one!

Additionally, the ornamental elements can be found in the beautifully crafted wrought iron, the use of stained glass, and the copper decorative plate and doorknob of the entrance door.

A blacksmith can bend wrought iron to reflect the flowing shapes found in nature. At the beginning of the 20th century, this craftsmanship reached its peak. Wrought iron as we see it here is unique work and therefore also expensive. It is certainly the architect who has sketched each detail of the wrought iron decoration in advance. The use of cast iron, on the other hand, allowed for mass production and was therefore cheaper. It was also offered in catalogs from which the customer could choose standard models. Also, pay attention to the balcony that seems to be suspended from the wrought iron and doesn't seem to be supported from below.

The stained glass comes into its own primarily for the residents indoors. The incoming light livens up the colors of the depiction and not infrequently it will cast colorful shadows on the interior. But even an 'outsider' will be able to enjoy the colorful aspect when it is dark and the light from the living room illuminates the image. But then you have to hope that the resident has forgotten to draw the curtains close.

The copper plate on the front door tells us that this house is called 'Rayon de Soleil' (ray of sunshine). Copper decorations were frequently used in Art Nouveau, usually indoors, but on the outside, you often see copper used in specific decorations of the front door, such as here, the doorknobs, mailboxes, and even the handle of the doorbell or – when electricity was already present – the button of the doorbell. The copper plate with sun rays is square, which supports the preference for geometry and somewhat resembles Bauhaus. The depiction where the rays come from a quarter sun in the corner of the square could become a recurring motif in the upcoming Art Deco.

This house was the personal residence of architect Arthur Noel and was built in 1908. It is not his only work on this Place des Ecoles. Numbers 19, 23, 31, and 33 were built at the beginning of the 20th century according to his plans.

It is also one of the few Art Nouveau houses that has an original plan that breaks with the layout of a traditional home. The asymmetrical façade reflects the layout of the interior.

Jan Rymenams