Aarschot and architecture. Modernism just after World War II

(Begijnhof 8)

Art nouveau was not always expressed so exuberantly as we have seen earlier. Sometimes, simply elements from the structure of a façade and from the language of forms were adopted. Like here: curved lines and the elliptical shapes in the woodwork and the whip stroke motif in the decorations of the natural stone window arches.

Elements that remain ‘classical’ are the ornaments on the keystones of windows with classical references. The linear balcony also adheres to the classical style.

The façade division is not boring at all. It is an asymmetric façade with the staircase in the right bay. The left bay is beautifully constructed with the distribution of the windows 2–1–3.

Jan Rymenams