Zurenborg
Encyclopedia
Zurenborg is an area in south-east Antwerp largely developed between 1894 and 1906 that features a high concentration of townhouse
Townhouse
A townhouse is the term historically used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in many other countries to describe a residence of a peer or member of the aristocracy in the capital or major city. Most such figures owned one or more country houses in which they lived for much of the year...

s in Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is an international philosophy and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that were most popular during 1890–1910. The name "Art Nouveau" is French for "new art"...

 and other fin-de-siècle styles.

Zurenborg is unique in Antwerp in the sense that it is one of the few areas developed according an urbanistic plan in the late 19th century.

Location

Art Nouveau houses are interspersed with neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...

 mansions and other eclectic
Eclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.It can sometimes seem inelegant or...

 architectural styles throughout Zurenborg, which is geographically split between Antwerp itself and the district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...

 of Berchem
Berchem
The 'Ring', Antwerp's circular motorway which follows the track of the former city defense walls, cuts Berchem in two parts, separating the urban inner city area of Oud-Berchem from the more residential and suburban areas Groenenhoek en Nieuw Kwartier .-Demography:Berchem's total surface is over ,...

. The southern part, which falls within Berchem and is centred along Cogels-Osylei (or Cogels-Osy Lei), Transvaalstraat, and Waterloostraat, has the highest number of townhouses. To the north, in the Antwerp section, many further examples were built along the streets surrounding Dageraadplaats.

Styles

The development of Zurenborg coincided with the peak of Art Nouveau popularity, and that movement
Art movement
An art movement is a tendency or style in art with a specific common philosophy or goal, followed by a group of artists during a restricted period of time, or, at least, with the heyday of the movement defined within a number of years...

 had the greatest impact on the stylistic language of the area. However, many other styles—mostly "revival styles"—that were popular at the time are also represented. These include Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...

, Neo-Renaissance
Neo-Renaissance
Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...

, Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...

, Neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...

, and the "cottage style" that coincided with British Tudorbethan architecture
Tudorbethan architecture
The Tudor Revival architecture of the 20th century , first manifested itself in domestic architecture beginning in the United Kingdom in the mid to late 19th century based on a revival of aspects of Tudor style. It later became an influence in some other countries, especially the British colonies...

.

Themes

The houses were often named and decorated with accompanying themes. The influence of organic and natural sources is particularly evident in the themes and names of the Art Nouveau homes: The Sunflower, The Rose, The Tulip, etc. Houses also referenced local history or the names of the streets upon which they stand. The "Lion of Flanders" prominently adorns Cogels-Osylei 2–4, while across the street an entire complex is devoted to Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...

. Some street names refer to the independence war of linguistic affinity, the Boer war in South Africa: Pretoriastraat, Transvallstraat http://www.antwerp-tourist-guide.com/Transvaalstraat.html and Krugerstraat. On Waterloostraat http://www.antwerp-tourist-guide.com/waterloo.html ("Waterloo Street") houses recall the eponymous battle
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...

 of the street's name. One, Waterloostraat 30, is adorned with a silhouette of Napoleon in his characteristic headgear, while another is decorated with glazed ceramic
Ceramic glaze
Glaze is a layer or coating of a vitreous substance which has been fired to fuse to a ceramic object to color, decorate, strengthen or waterproof it.-Use:...

 panels depicting scenes from that battle. The facade of house Nr.11, The Battle of Waterloo, shows the portraits of Wellington and Napoleon, the two great commanders of the age. Bayonets, flags, smoking canons and drums show you clearly the subject of the house.

Co-ordination of houses

Groups of individual houses were sometimes combined to form a general theme and are intended to be experienced as co-ordinated designs rather than as individual units. Such an ensemble are the five adjoining houses collectively known as De Tijd (Time
Time
Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects....

) on Waterloostraat. Each one, built in brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...

 and in contrasting colours, is named for—and thematically represents—a time of the day: Ochtend (Morning), Dag (Day), Avond (Evening) and Nacht (Night). Similarly, some of the structures "speak" to one another. Examples of such a grouping are on the four corners of the Waterloostraat and Generaal Merlenstraat intersection. There, houses depicting the four seasons face one another: Lente (Spring), Zomer (Summer), Herfst (Autumn) and Winter.

Architects

Several architects worked in the neighbourhood. Among them was Joseph Bascourt
Joseph Bascourt
Joseph Bascourt was a Belgian architect who designed numerous Art Nouveau buildings in and around Antwerp. Among his contributions to the landscape of the city are 25 houses in the Zurenborg neighbourhood, and the community centre in Wilrijk .-References:...

, who designed 25 of the houses, Jules Hofman, and Frans Smet-Verhas.

Post World War II history

With car ownership rising and upper middle class households moving to the suburbs, the status of Zurenborg - especially Cogels Osylei - as well to residential area came down. The houses were regarded as too big and too much energy consuming. A major plan was made in the 1960s to transform the whole area into a business and office area similar to the one built at Brussels North station. In the end - however - it was concluded that the area was not to be demolished. From one day to another, the area became listed as urban landscape at disappointment of many owners who expected to sell their property at a profit.

The area became popular for artists, and entrepreneurs. Many houses became listed monuments. With support of public subsidies, many owners succeeded to renovate their properties and Zurenborg became an example of a well functioning urban neighbourhood with a varied mixture of people. The Dageraadplaats square in the north section of Zurenborg transformed from a neighbourhood shopping area into one of the most popular dining areas in Antwerp, and the art nouveau manions in Zurenborg draw high numbers of visitors and tourists.

Parts of Zurenborg - especially Cogels Osylei and Wolfstraat - are extensively suffering of intensive heavy bus traffic for many years causing pollution and vibrances, with some loss of external and internal ornaments as a result.

External links

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