Art Nouveau in Spa, rather modest, sometimes bizarre but always fascinating

This walk takes us in front of the Art Nouveau houses in downtown Spa. It is based on the Art Nouveau trail developed by the tourist office. You can get this walk in the form of a brochure. However, we found the text not very eloquent and certainly for someone who wants to familiarize themselves with this style, in our opinion, there is too little context. The list of features and terms will eventually become boring. Certainly, these qualities are often repeated. We tried to consult other sources and give more context, either on Art Nouveau in general when it can be seen on site, or with additional information about the architect and the client.

About the itinerary

The walk through the city and it is not always quiet. The big traffic had to pass through the city and the ideal of the 1970s was to build a wide boulevard. But we know the city is looking for ways to make it more enjoyable.

The route is about 3.5 kilometers. You can shorten the circuit by a mile by skipping Villa Emma on Astrid Avenue. We thought it was worth not doing it. On the one hand because this villa is oddly interesting and on the other hand because you pass in front of the royal villa (now museums) which was rebuilt at the same time. And this at a time when Art Nouveau was making its appearance, but when the traditional bourgeoisie was rampant in the seaside resort. Only two houses that were too far away, we did not include in the course. They are described. And because they're located near the Wauxhall, it might be worth adding an extra mile.

The route passes through the classics of Spa: the Pouhon of Peter the Great, the thermal baths, the casino, the Leopold II galleries, the royal villa and the church of Saint Remaclus. If you are visiting Spa for the first time, you should definitely see it. Those already familiar with Spa will find these landmarks enjoyable.

Point of departure and arrival

We leave on the parking lot of the Rue Promenade de Quatres Heures. Parking is free and you start immediately with a nice example.
Those who come by train can easily join the walk after 150 meters of walking.

About Art Nouveau in Spa

Spa has an interesting architectural heritage. Of course, there are the typical institutions that have to do with its spa function such as the thermal baths, the casino, the Leopold II shopping center, the Peter the Great spring, the hotels ... On the other hand, there are also the houses of the richer bourgeoisie and industrialists who may or may not have had a temporary residence in Spa. In the green setting of the city, these are the many villas. In the city itself, 19th century neo-styles, especially neoclassical and eclecticism, are considered. Art Nouveau is represented only to a limited extent. It is difficult to give a reason for this, but the short period during which this style was popular, namely from 1890 to 1914, will have something to do with it. In addition, it has always taken some time before innovative ideas from big cities find their way into small provincial towns.

With a few exceptions, one should not expect special Art Nouveau buildings in the city. It is striking that there are no names of great Art Nouveau architects present. It is often locally renowned architects who have built in this style at the request of the client, but have also realized neoclassical or eclectic houses just as well and mainly. They are Marcel Hansen, Arthur Noel and Emile Petit. Sometimes the client, who was not a resident of the city, chose his architect from outside the city. This is the case of the Maison Charlier, named after the Liège architect Gustave Charlier.

An interesting and common phenomenon is that older facades have been decorated with Art Nouveau elements. And this is done mainly by giving the façade a new layer of plaster and applying the decorations to it. Window frames, bay windows and cellar holes have not been functionally modified. Sometimes the carpentry of the door had an Art Nouveau accent. The basic layout of the house has remained very traditional.

And this is also an essential characteristic of Art Nouveau: decoration. Functionally, there are no real innovations, but classic elements such as windows, doors, bay windows, cornices and facing bricks are elaborated in a decorative way.

There are only a few houses that can be considered authentic Art Nouveau in their entirety. The buildings you should definitely see are the Maison Charlier, the Maison 'Rayon de Soleil' and the Art Nouveau house on Rue Promenade des Quatre Heures.

Cement was successful in the second half of the 19th century. Soon it was used to give a new look to older facades. With cement, you can make a lot of plastic and the craft of "cement maker" is as much as "ornamentalist" with a lot of skill and creativity. This profession was therefore taught at the local vocational school.

A very good example of such a "transformation" is "Villa Emma", but there are many others.

Art Nouveau is the style par excellence that pleases and wants to please with coquetry. All elements inside and on the façade can be used to achieve this goal. Take your time looking for them. Multicolored facades, use of colored bricks or natural stones of different colors, gray blue stone that can be modeled like a razor, ceramic plates and strips, sgraffito, wrought iron, stained glass, figurative or stylized representations of nature, serene woman's head with long and wavy hair, ... Especially wavy shapes when we talk about the Floral Art level. But rigor with the geometric variant. You will encounter all of this during this one anyway.

Tip

Bring binoculars. Many details in the decoration can be best appreciated when you can see them more closely.