Torsade de Pointes, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A townhouse with a ship’s prow. De Vijf Werelddelen is the most extravagant Art Nouveau in Belgium

Art Nouveau is an architectural style that conquered Europe at the turn of the 20th century with its finesse, asymmetry and wealth of decorative detailing. In Belgium, the cradle of Art Nouveau, many impressive examples of this style can be found, but one building stands out in particular. We are talking about De Vijf Werelddelen (The Five Continents), an extremely extravagant architectural complex in Antwerp, designed by Frans Smet-Verhas in 1901. Its distinctive facade, with a bay window resembling the prow of a ship, is not only eye-catching, but also reflects the profession of its first owner, the boatbuilder P. Roeis. It is a true masterpiece of Art Nouveau, full of elaborate details and decorative elements.

Art Nouveau architecture and unique details

Located on the corner of Schildersstraat and Plaatsnijdersstraat, close to the Antwerp Museum of Fine Arts, the De Vijf Werelddelen complex consists of four houses. It includes a striking corner building with a distinctive bay window in the shape of a ship’s prow, a gatehouse, a residential house and a wide, covered terrace on the first floor. The three buildings, aligned along Plaatsnijder and Schildersstraat, feature identical façades with richly decorated Art Nouveau-style cornices. Unfortunately, the fourth (Schildersstraat 4) was rebuilt in 1964 in a much simplified style, which weakened the architectural integrity of the ensemble.

Vandevorst, Kris, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

De Vijf Werelddelen - belgijska secesja

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Facade of De Vijf Werelddelen and materials used

The façade of the buildings is made of yellow bricks on a base of blue stone, and the whole is varied by decorative stripes and bricks in contrasting colours. This is a typical Art Nouveau way of combining materials, which gives the façade elegance and lightness. The construction also uses natural stone in the cornices, balconies and window frames. Noteworthy is the wealth of wrought iron elements, such as the beautifully decorated lantern on the corner of the building, the elaborate balustrade of the gatehouse balcony and the elegant lattice on the entrance door and basement windows.

Famous Belgian Art Nouveau – building layout and features

The corner building, the most striking in the entire complex, has four floors and a mezzanine. The ground floor, lit by barred windows, was intended for service areas. The most representative living areas are located on the second and third floors. The ornamentation of the third floor is a wooden bay window, whose balcony was shaped like a ship’s prow, which is one of the most characteristic elements of the façade. The gate leading into the complex consists of two floors, and its ground floor is decorated with three wide segmental openings – a window and two gates with decorative wrought iron grilles. Above the garages rises a beautiful glass canopy supported by an iron structure with elegant columns. The terraced houses surrounding the corner building, originally three (now two), are of classic single-family construction. Their facades are characterised by curved balconies on consoles, wide basket-shaped windows and ornate entrance doors with a green glass canopy.

Sally V, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Status of the monument and current use of De Vijf Werelddelen

Due to its unique architectural value, the corner building was listed as a monument on 31 March 1976. The two neighbouring buildings were granted this status on 8 June 1988. Today, the complex serves both residential and office functions. The ground floor of the building houses the offices of the Chilean Consulate, whose honorary consul became the property’s owner in 2012.

Art Nouveau masterpiece from Antwerp

De Vijf Werelddelen is the most stunning work of Belgian Art Nouveau, combining extravagance, rich detailing and references to the profession of the first owner. Thanks to its unique façade, in which the architect Frans Smet-Verhas made a highly original reference to the ship motif, the building remains one of Antwerp’s most important architectural symbols.

Source: admirable-artnouveau.be, inventaris.onroerenderfgoed.be

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