Liege - Architecture Preview

Faculty of Architecture ULiege - Outremeuse

In 2000, the former Fonck barracks were taken over by the École supérieure des Arts Saint-Luc Liège and the Institut supérieur d'Architecture Saint-Luc. The location quickly became one of the campuses in the city center, where groups of art students meet. The campus is shared with the Faculty of Architecture ofULiège, which promotes collaboration and meetings. Under the direction of Eugène Moreau from the AUSE architectural group, the large, initial spaces are respected but reconditioned to fully perform their educational tasks.

Specific studios have been designed to allow the student to work to maximum effect, such as the studios for design, engraving, screen printing, lithography, painting or sculpture. There is a cafeteria with 400 seats, administrative buildings, a concierge, large exhibition or workshop spaces and a library.

The site of the school campus was originally a priory mentioned in texts as early as 1231. It was affiliated with the French Order of the Val des Écoliers and was then established on a small island formed by the Meuse and one of the many arms of the Ourthe. The campus still possesses the rare Gothic architecture of a church, with forecourt (14th century) and a beautiful old chapter house, which serves as an exhibition space at the school.

In the 17th century, the priory became a monastery for schoolchildren with many changes, such as the monumental staircase from the 18th century that now leads to the secretariat. During the revolution of 1789 it was secularized and converted into a field hospital with barracks. The many horse rings in the walls and the pits carved out of stone are reminders of the military past.

A new building for the architecture faculty in Outremeuse
Through an international architectural competition, the design of the Brussels architects OFFICE KGDVS was selected for a new building of3600 m2 with educational activities (workshops), research and administration of the ULiège faculty of architecture. The design of the new building is the result of a close dialogue with the various residents of the Fonck campus. It is also intended as a showcase and a project that promotes exchanges with teachers and architecture students throughout the process, like a full-scale studio.

Among the sober, functional buildings constructed in the 1830s to transform the heavily damaged monastery into a military complex, the Caserne Fonck manege is of particular heritage value. Built in 1837, the riding school reflects the scale and importance of the regiment's activities.

The enormous brick façade is divided into horizontal registers and framed by restrained decoration. But the building's real architectural achievement is revealed from the inside. Military engineers demonstrated remarkable technical skill by covering a vast 1,700 m² space with a wooden roof structure supported entirely by the exterior walls, without any intermediate columns or supports. Based on a system developed by Colonel Emy, professor of fortifications at the military academy of Saint-Cyr, the roof consists of trusses made from curved and composite beams.

After the army withdrew, the Caserne Fonck was sold in 1998. In 2009, architect Daniel Dethier was commissioned to restore and convert the former riding school into a performance and event venue, with storage areas, offices, technical spaces and loading facilities.

As part of the restoration, all later extensions were demolished, except for the 1935 extension along the northern façade. This was retained to organise access to the building and accommodate changing rooms, reception, offices and a multipurpose room.

A new, discreet contemporary volume was added at the rear of the manege. It houses the boiler room, ventilation equipment, high- and low-voltage installations, a workshop, a landscaping workshop and access to the basement.

Architect Daniel Dethier explains: “Our efforts were aimed at preserving the grandeur of the building by opening up the interior space as much as possible. We also took care to preserve the traces of time.”

The elegance of the historic elements reinforces this approach, particularly the ironwork of the large sliding exterior gates. Mechanical installations have been concealed or designed to be movable. One of the most innovative interventions was the excavation of a large underground storage area for stage equipment, connected to the performance space by a stage lift.

Dethier describes it as a huge “toolbox”, where everything has its place.

The current building was built in the 16th century and often renovated. The secular Abbot of Visé and Archdeacon of the Ardennes, Jean-Ernest, Baron Surlet de Chokier, founded the Hospice Sainte Barbe des filles insoumises here in 1698. Following a principle close to a general hospital, a mix of people were housed there: lost girls, beggars, vagabonds, 'frenetic', fools, madmen, etc. The qualifications vary, but it always involved women of which the government didn't want them hanging around freely on the streets. In 1770 there were 140 residents.

After various functions it became an orphanage for girls. In 1850, when there were 150 orphans, the hospice committee entrusted their care to the Sisters of St. Charles and during the two wars the complex had different functions: hospital and prison.

In 1986, the city, which owned the complex, decided to sell it to 'La Maison Heureuse', founded by Abbot Emile Gerratz. The buildings were renovated to better suit the planned project, namely the temporary or permanent shelter of children who were taken care of there by a court decision.

The Le Balloir project bears witness to the special ties between Charles Vandenhove and La Maison Heureuse, whose architect designed the head office in Ans a few years earlier. It is also a testament to the dedication of Abbot Gerratz, the founder of The Happy House, whose life is entirely focused on helping those in need. As with the operations at Hors-Château and Torrentius, this is a complex of high historical value that was once occupied by the Hospice Sainte-Barbe, some of whose buildings date back to the 17th century.

The new building across the street contains twenty-six apartments (2,400 m2).
and is completely made of exposed concrete. The facades are constructed with red colored concrete in the mass. The new building will be connected to a chapel by a footbridge above the roadway.

The Saint-Léonard Park, also called the Saint-Léonard Esplanade, is an esplanade & park north of the Place des Déportés (parking lot with trees towards the water)

At this site, the water-filled St. Léonard canal of the Meuse was dug in the 13th century, serving as the moat at northern city walls of the city of Liège and as a refuge for boats in case of floods or river debacles. The canal, which was dug perpendicular to the Maas, was approximately 400 meters long. During the 19th century, the canal was filled up. At the beginning of the 19th century, a weekly horse market was held there.

In the mid-19th century, the neo-Gothic St. Léonarde prison was built here, designed by the Brussels architect Joseph Jonas Dumont. This imposing building where resistance fighters and political opponents were imprisoned during the Second World War served as a prison until 1979 before being demolished in 1982.

The site left vacant after the demolition of the Saint-Léonard prison leaves a large space of approximately 18,000 m2 and was converted into a public space in 2001, following a design competition organized in 1994 by the city of Liège. The esplanade was given the official name Parc Saint-Léonard. The combination that won the competition in 1994 consisted of the architectural firm Baumans-Deffet (Arlette Baumans), the architectural firm Aloys Beguin - Brigitte Massart and Anne Rondia.

The design assignment consisted of:
* The handling of road traffic,
* The construction of the current parking lot on the Place des Déportés:
* The construction of a square and a large open esplenade for various activities
* Creation of the Carmelite Forest

Today the square is a place to meet and relax. It is visited by the entire neighborhood, large and small and from all backgrounds. There is also a memorial place, the back wall of which is decorated with an excerpt from Garcia Lorca's poem: 'In the flag of freedom I have embroidered the greatest love of my life.' A stainless steel band runs the entire length of the square with a poem by Savitskaya, 'Foot on the hard, the soft, on the coal and vineyard soil, on the dust and the gun ground, on the chains, the bars and the hundred thousandth bricks and to the bright wood divided by a wallwork...' This is a place that has become a testimony to cultural diversity and freedom of expression.

At the end of the 1970s, the Hors-Château district possessed a rich historic built heritage, but many of its buildings were outdated and no longer met the needs of its residents. Instead of opting for a policy of demolition and rebuilding from scratch, the authorities chose a very different approach: urban renewal through renovation, careful new construction and respect for the existing city fabric.

The urban renewal project in the Hors-Château district was carried out by the Société de Développement régional pour la Wallonie (SDRW), whose objective was to strengthen and restructure urban centres while encouraging the development of accessible housing in city centres.

The project marked a turning point in the career of Charles Vandenhove. For the first time, he was working as an architect in an area of considerable historical value. His approach was based on three main interventions: the renovation of houses along Rue Hors-Château, the construction of new housing along Rue des Brasseurs, and the creation of a traffic-free courtyard within the urban block.

The renovation of the historic houses was designed to provide a varied range of housing types, from individual houses to three-bedroom apartments and studios. Between 1979 and 1985, Vandenhove carefully renovated 13 historic houses, avoiding standardised solutions. Instead, he combined the preservation of historic elements with a distinctly contemporary interpretation.

Along Rue des Brasseurs, he designed a series of new two-storey buildings with pitched roofs and a tower. Built above an underground car park, the complex contains almost 30 homes, together with commercial and office spaces. Here Vandenhove also responded to the SDRW's desire for more industrialised construction, making use of architectural concrete, a material he had already mastered.

The result is a carefully composed dialogue between old and new. Historic dimensions and proportions are retained, while traditional elements are reinterpreted: original door and window openings are preserved, crosses are replaced by bronze columns and beams, and doors and windows are combined with colourful square tiles.

Between the renovated houses and the new buildings, Vandenhove created a small public square, enclosed at either end by two small houses. Intended as a place to pause and meet, the square includes a fountain whose water flows through a narrow channel towards a sculpture by Anne and Patrick Poirier, inspired by the Mayan temple complex of Tikal.

Hors-Château became an important example of how historic neighbourhoods can be renewed without erasing their identity. For Vandenhove, it was also the beginning of a lifelong exploration of the relationship between history, contemporary architecture and the everyday life of the city.

The impasses of Hors-Château are narrow and atmospheric pedestrian passages, sometimes reached through an arched gateway — an arvô in Walloon — at the front of a building. Six of the eight impasses open onto Rue Hors-Château. They are lined with old, often beautifully restored workers’ houses, but also with more bourgeois residences, restaurantsand, in some cases, a small Marian chapel tucked high above the passage.

These hidden lanes form an oasis of peace and quiet just a few steps from the bustling historic centre of Liège. In the past, they were mainly inhabited by craftsmen, particularly people working in the textile trades, such as weavers and tailors. Many of the houses, some dating back to the 17th century, are now protected as part of Wallonia’s cultural heritage.

Once a year, the impasses take on a completely different atmosphere. On the first Saturday of October, the historic districts of Liège come alive during the Nocturne des Coteaux de la Citadelle, an event that has been held for more than 25 years. Streets, courtyards, stairways, terraces, paths and impasses are illuminated with candles, revealing the historic landscape of the city. Around 40,000 visitors come each year to experience the almost fairytale-like atmosphere.

Alongside the illuminated Montagne de Bueren, the Impasse des Ursulines and the other impasses are among the highlights of the evening. From here, a narrow staircase leads up into the Coteaux de la Citadelle, towards the Terrasses des Minimes, where one of the finest views over Liège opens up.

It is a magical experience — but come early. The Nocturne is hugely popular and the narrow passages can become very crowded.

The Montagne de Bueren is an imposing staircase of 374 steps, built in the 19th century as a strategic direct route between the Citadel barracks and the city centre. It connects the Féronstrée and Hors-Château districts with the Périand the Citadel.

The staircase commemorates Vincent de Bueren (1440–1505), who led some 600 Franchimontois in their attempt to defend Liège against the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold.

Every year, on the first Saturday of October, the stairs become one of the highlights of the Nocturne des Coteaux de la Citadelle. Thousands of candles illuminate the 374 steps, creating a spectacular and almost magical sight.

Since 2010, another event has taken place here every two years in June: Bueren en Fleurs. For the occasion, around 25,000 flowers and plants are arranged to form a monumental floral composition across the staircase. The design is created by the Plantation Service of the City of Liège, while municipal staff install the flowers and plants on the steps.

In 1243, the Franciscans settled in Liège. Their Monastery of the Friars Minor quickly became an important place of prayer and a prominent part of public life in the “Fiery City”. In the 17th century, the monastery was completely rebuilt in the Mosan Renaissance style, which characteristically combines layers of brick and bluestone. The corners of the façades are accentuated with bluestone, while the steeply pitched roofs are covered with slate. The limited decoration consists mainly of patterns and masks carved in tuff.

During the French Revolution, the religious community was forced to leave the monastery in 1796, after which the complex was divided into five blocks.

The first major restoration took place between 1963 and 1971. A second renovation project followed between 2004 and 2008, culminating in the opening of the renewed museum.

The monastery is organised around an old classical courtyard, connected by a vaulted gallery and complemented by contemporary architecture. Today, the complex is also a lively cultural venue, hosting concerts, summer puppet theatre and street theatre during the Fêtes de Wallonie. A contemporary two-storey building overlooks the monastery’s vaulted galleries. In summer, the historic setting can be enjoyed from the terrace of the Le Cloître restaurant.

The Musée de la Vie Wallonne offers an original perspective on life in Wallonia from the 19th century to the present day. Its collections and exhibitions explore everyday life, traditions and social change. The museum regularly presents temporary exhibitions and organises a wide range of activities.

It also keeps alive the tradition of the Liège puppeteer, presenting performances in the authentic setting of its theatre. Lectures and debates address contemporary social issues, while symposia bring together the public and specialists for more in-depth discussion. Researchers can consult the museum’s Documentation Centre and its extensive collections.

The Prince-Bishops Palace of Liège or Episcopal Palace of Liège is located on Place Saint-Lambert in the center of Liège. A first palace, integrated into the fortifications, was built around the year 1000 by Prince-Bishop Notger and disappeared in a fire in 1185. The palace was rebuilt under Raoul de Zähringen.

The second building, which was severely damaged after the plunder of 1468 by the Burgunds, suffered the same fate in 1505. The current palace, now the courthouse of Liège, was rebuilt in the 16th century at the initiative of Cardinal Érard de La Marck, on the site of an old building destroyed during the sack of Charles the Bold. In 1526 he entrusted the construction of a new palace to the master builder Arnold van Mulken. Construction was completed at the end of the 16th century.

In 1849, a new west wing was built in neo-Gothic style by architect Jean-Charles Delsaux for the services of the provincial government. The palace will be used as a Kommandantur by the German occupiers during the First and Second World Wars.

In the 21st century, the building was occupied by both the provincial services and the Palace of Justice. The large courtyard is surrounded by galleries with raised arches with both massive and elegant columns with richly decorated capitals. The variety of decorations on the columns is extraordinary. The second courtyard accessible through the palace is more intimate. It is also closed to the public except on rare occasions such as Heritage Days. The palace was proposed as a World Heritage Site in 2008 and is on UNESCO's 'indicative list' in the cultural heritage category.

The church of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Lambert was the cathedral of Liege in 1794, when it was destroyed. The enormous Gothic cathedral was located on the Place Saint Lambert in the heart of Liege. With two choirs, two transepts, three buildings with three floors, a circuit of apside and collateral chapels, a monastery and a 135 meter high tower the cathedral of Notre-Dame-et-Sint-Lambert was the largest church in the the Middle Ages in the western world and the most important monument in the Maas-gotiek. It could accommodate 4.000 people.

The murder of Bishop Lambert of Maastricht
Lambert, bishop of Maestricht, was murdered by the men of Dodon around 705 on the grounds of a former Gallo-Roman villa in Maastricht. Although the saint was first buried in Maestricht, his successor Saint Hubert repatriated his body and buried it on the Place Saint-Lambert. Shortly afterwards, the episcopal seat was moved from Maestricht to Liège and the cathedral was built on this site in honor of Bishop Lambert.

In 1794, on the French regime, the cathedral was broken down in the wake of the Liège revolution. The Liege revolutionaries saw the cathedral as a symbol of the power of the prince-bishop. The demolition of the large towers was put out to tender in 1795. In 1803 the western tower was blown up. The site was finally leveled in 1827.

In 2000, a scaffolding with tarpaulins as a 1:1 mass model of the east choir of St. Lambertus Cathedrall was added to the newly designed St. Lambertus Square in Liège.

The Saint-Michel Island is a complex of contemporary buildings located just west of Place Saint-Lambert. Opened in September 1999, it combines shops, offices and housing in a mixed-use urban complex.

Its history is closely linked to the radical transformation of Liège’s city centre in the second half of the 20th century. In the 1960s, politicians and planners wanted to adapt the centre to the growing dominance of car traffic. The Lejeune Plan, adopted in 1968, proposed turning Place Saint-Lambert into a major road junction, with a large bus station and around 2,000 underground parking spaces.

The plan required extensive demolition. During the 1970s, the entire historic district between Place Saint-Lambert and Rue Haute-Sauvenière was largely erased. For years, Place Saint-Lambert remained an enormous construction site and open void in the heart of the city.

Several redevelopment projects followed, until 1984, when architect Claude Strebelle was commissioned to rethink the city centre as a whole, taking into account the interests of residents, businesses, planners and public authorities. His first master plan was presented in 1985 and eventually formed the basis for much of the urban layout we see today.

The Saint-Michel complex consists of four buildings arranged around three pedestrian streets: Rue Saint-Michel, Rue de l’Official and Rue de la Populaire. The various buildings were designed by Claude Strebelle as coordinator, together with Bruno Albert, Lemaire & Gérard, Bernard Herbecq, Jean-Noël Capart as landscape architect, and Atelier du Sart-Tilman.

Art was an integral part of the project. Artists Jean Glibert, Léon Wuidar and Dan Van Severen created works specifically incorporated into the architecture and public spaces, making Saint-Michel not simply a collection of buildings, but a carefully designed urban environment.

Hotel Torrentius

Hotel Torrentius was built in the second half of the 16th century and is attributed to the Liège architect Lambert Lombard. It is considered one of the finest examples of patrician architecture in Liège.

The house was built for the prelate, poet and philologist Liévin van der Beken, who also played an important role in the foundation of the Jesuit College of Leuven.

Located near the Church of the Holy Cross, Hotel Torrentius was purchased in 1978 by architect Charles Vandenhove, who established his architectural studio here. The restoration of the building marked an important moment in his career. In working with Hotel Torrentius, Vandenhove developed a new classical architectural language, which he would later apply in major projects such as the renewal of the Hors-Château district.

The interior combines the historic architecture with interventions by contemporary artists, including Daniel Buren, Olivier Debré and Léon Wuidar. Their work reflects Vandenhove’s conviction that contemporary art and historic architecture could enter into a meaningful dialogue.

Du Point de Vue is a typical Liège restaurant that has welcomed guests since 1972. It occupies a 17th-century building, just 50 metres from the Royal Opera House and Place Saint-Lambert, in the heart of the “Fiery City”.

The restaurant is a good place to discover some of the traditional flavours of Liège. Specialities worth trying include:

• Boulets à la Liégeoise – meatballs in the famous Liège-style sauce
• Lapin à la Liégeoise – rabbit prepared in the Liège tradition
• Tête de veau Tortue – tête de veau served in a rich, tomato-based sauce
• Rognons à la Liégeoise – kidneys prepared in Liège style
• Roulades Ardennaises – traditional Ardennes-style roulades

And, of course, no Liège meal is complete without a Belgian beer to go with it.

The Royal Opera of Wallonia is located on Place de l’Opéra, in the centre of Liège. Together with La Monnaie in Brussels and Opera Vlaanderen, it is one of Belgium’s three major opera houses. The institution has been based in the Royal Theatre of Liège since its foundation. The building opened on 4 November 1820.

The city of Liège acquired the theatre in 1854. In front of the building stands a statue of the Liège composer André Grétry, created by the sculptor Guillaume Geefs. Grétry’s heart was placed in the pedestal of the statue in 1842.

In 1861, architect Julien-Étienne Rémont undertook a major renovation of the theatre. The building was extended at the rear and on both sides, while the auditorium was transformed in the Second Empire style. The new hall could accommodate around 1,500 spectators.

Between 2009 and 2012, the opera house underwent an extensive restoration, renovation and extension. The historic interiors — including the grand foyer, staircase and auditorium — were carefully restored to their original appearance. At the same time, the theatre was equipped with state-of-the-art technical facilities. The Italian-style auditorium, with 1,041 seats, and the modern stage make the opera house one of the most technically advanced theatres in Europe.

The project brought together several architectural and engineering teams: Yves Jacques and Origin Architecture & Engineering for the restoration, A2RC for the renovation and extension, Architectes Associés for technical expertise, Bureau Greisch for structural engineering, Arte for stage technology and Daniel Commins for acoustics.

The extension is particularly striking. Inspired in part by the earlier transformation of the Opéra de Lyon by Jean Nouvel, a contemporary structure was added above the historic building to increase the height of the stage tower. A multifunctional hall, the Raymond Rossius Hall, was also created for smaller performances, rehearsals, symposia and lectures.

The result is a striking combination of historic architecture and contemporary technology: the restored 19th-century theatre remains at the heart of the building, while the new additions allow it to function as a modern opera house.

For several decades, Liège, like many other European cities, had seen the disappearance of cinemas from its city centre, largely as a result of competition from large suburban multiplexes.

To counter this trend and bring cinema back to the heart of the city, a competition was organised for a new urban cinema. The competition was won by the young Brussels architectural practice Studio V+ (Bureau Vers plus de bien-être).

Le Sauvenière is a cinema complex on Place Xavier Neujean, in the centre of Liège. It opened in 2008 and contains four screening rooms with a total capacity of 798 seats. The complex also includes a courtyard and a brasserie with space for around 400 people.

More than just a cinema, Le Sauvenière was conceived as a cultural and social meeting place. The brasserie regularly hosts concerts, lectures and other events, helping to bring activity to the city centre beyond the film programme.

Le Sauvenière is part of the Europa Cinemas network, which promotes the circulation and visibility of European films.

Before becoming La Cité Miroir, this building housed Les Bains de la Sauvenière, a sports complex and public bathhouse between Boulevard de la Sauvenière and Place Xavier Neujean. Built in 1938, it is a remarkable example of the Streamline Moderne, or “Packet Boat Style”, an interwar architectural style inspired by the streamlined forms of ocean liners and passenger ships.

In October 1936, Liège City Council approved plans for a public bathhouse on the site of a former school on Place Xavier Neujean. The design was entrusted to architect Georges Dedoyard, who had won the architectural competition for the project.

Construction began in 1938, but the outbreak of World War II caused delays. The complex was finally completed and opened to the public in May 1942.

The imposing six-storey building contained a sports complex and an indoor swimming pool. Its most spectacular feature was the vast swimming-pool hall on the third floor, measuring around 80 metres long and rising several storeys high. Daylight entered through a large glazed roof set into the concrete vault, designed in collaboration with the Cristalleries du Val-Saint-Lambert and supported by eight reinforced-concrete arches.

The complex included a large hall with two swimming pools: a recreational pool measuring 25 by 15 metres and a competition pool of 33 by 14 metres, which at the time had Olympic dimensions. The pools were surrounded by stands with heated benches for up to 1,250 spectators. The building also contained areas for swimming and hydrotherapy, a restaurant and a bus station on the ground floor.

By the mid-1990s, the future of the building was uncertain and demolition was considered. Initially, there was little public reaction. This changed after art historian Flavio Di Campli published an article drawing attention to the architectural and historical value of the complex. A citizens’ campaign was launched to save the building, followed by a petition.

In 2000, the swimming pool was closed because it no longer met safety standards. Much of the building was subsequently abandoned, while only a few facilities remained in use. A renovation project was launched but eventually stalled.

A new chapter began in 2009, with the launch of the La Cité Miroir project. Led by Triangle Architectes, together with Bureau d’études Pierre Beugnier et associés, and architects Fabian Gérardy, Pascal Jacques and Thierry Moxhet, the project transformed the former bathhouse into a cultural and educational centre devoted to citizenship, memory and dialogue between cultures.

The completely renovated building now houses a theatre, specialised media library, specialist bookshop, conference and debate rooms, cafeteria, and permanent and temporary exhibition spaces. It hosts theatre, music, lectures, debates and workshops, while its exhibitions explore themes of memory, society and citizenship.

La Cité Miroir opened on 14 January 2014, giving a remarkable modernist building a new public life while preserving the memory of its original function.

Tucked away on Place Xavier-Neujean is Livre aux Trésors, an independent bookshop with a particular passion for children’s and young adult literature.

The first Livre aux Trésors opened at the end of 2002. It was founded by Philippe Marczewski, a researcher in neuropsychology who had worked in the field for six years. With no previous experience in bookselling, he decided to take a new direction and created a bookshop specialising in children’s literature and the literature of the imagination.

In 2011, the bookshop moved to Place Xavier-Neujean. The team was immediately drawn to the spacious premises and their impressive glass roof. The building had previously housed an architectural practice; today, it has been transformed into a welcoming space for anyone with a love of books and stories.

From the square, however, the shop is surprisingly easy to miss: its interior is visible mainly through the large double doors. Step inside, and the generous space opens up into a world dedicated to books, imagination and young readers

Maison Oury, built in 1898 on the corner of Rue Sébastien Laruelle, was designed by the Liège architect Paul Jasparfor the dentist Oury.

Jaspar, one of the leading figures of Liège Art Nouveau, combines local tradition with new architectural ideas. Here he reinterprets characteristic elements of Mosan architecture: the alternating use of brick and natural stone, stone cross-window frames, small stained-glass windows, an overhanging cornice supported by wooden brackets and half-timbered decoration around the bay window.

At the same time, more Symbolist and Art Nouveau elements begin to appear, including the flat roof and the leaf-patterned iron grilles protecting the basement windows.

The lintel above the main entrance features a sculpted head by the artist Auguste Berchmans, adding a distinctly artistic touch to the façade.

Maison Oury is a fine example of how Paul Jaspar combined regional architectural traditions with the new language of Art Nouveau emerging in Liège at the end of the 19th century.

The Passage Lemonnier is a covered passage that connects the Vinâve d'Île with the Rue de l'Université and is crossed in the middle by the Rue Lulay des Fèbvres.

The Passage Lemonnier, built between 1836 and 1838 by the architects Louis-Désiré Lemonnier and Henri-Victor Beaulieu, is the oldest covered trading passage in Belgium and one of the oldest in Europe.

The Passage was completed eight years earlier than the Galeries royales Saint-Hubert by architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar, which was inaugurated in Brussels in 1847. The Passage Lemonnier was a major novelty in Belgium at that time and a quite exceptional building for Liège, allowing it to compete with other important cities. His influence went beyond the borders, which was reflected in the number of traders of foreign origin who settled here.

Passage Lemonnier became an attraction and the crowds forced the owners to hire several security guards to ensure safety. But the most interesting thing is the birth of the first 'Carré' in Liège, where the public can take a walk on the Vinâve d'Île, the Rue Cathédrale, the Rue de l'Université and the Rue Pont d'Île (a square) with the Passage Lemonnier in the middle.

In 1914, the shop windows were expanded and the thresholds of the shop windows on the Rue Vinâve side were lowered. In the years that followed, the Lemonnier Passage fell into an advanced state of disrepair. The manager of the passage, Louis Dabin, contacted a good friend, the promising young architect Henri Snyers (Liège, 1901-1980), and entrusted him with the complete renovation of the whole. Snyers is a member of the architectural group L'Équerre, and undoubtedly one of the most interesting Belgian architectural firms of the 20th century.

The architectural attitude is directly inspired by contemporary references: the modern quarters of Frugès that Le Corbusier built in Pessac-Bordeaux (1926-1927) and the Parisian ensemble rue Robert Mallet-Stevens (1926-1927). The two men plan to build “the first large modern complex in Liège” on the site of the passage.

In 1939, the renovation was completed with the artistic contribution of sculptor Madeleine Schoofs for the sculptures of the dome. Ultimately, only the first two levels will be renovated and the glass roofs replaced.

The complexity of the new installed glass cladding, a skillful installation of semi-crystal glass blocks from Val Saint-Lambert with thin connections, contrasts with the apparent simplicity of the overall design. Due to the new lighting, the glass roof, especially at the height of the dome, is also clearly visible in the evening.

The Galerie Cathédrale was built in 1954 as part of the post-war redevelopment of the centre of Liège. The two-storey shopping arcade brought together a variety of shops and, on the first floor, the Le Shanghai restaurant, which has become a familiar Liège institution.

The gallery is a modest but interesting example of the modern commercial architecture that appeared in Liège in the decades after the Second World War. Its interiors originally featured carefully designed shopfronts, materials and details typical of the period. Many of these elements have disappeared or been altered over the years, making the surviving details all the more valuable.

Two particularly important works have survived. On the ground floor, a mosaic forms part of the original decoration, while on the first floor a striking composition in glass blocks fills the space with colour and light. Both works were designed by the Liège artist Jean Rets (1910–1998), one of the leading figures of Belgian abstract and Cubist-inspired art.

The glass composition was produced by the Osterrath workshop, using semi-crystalline glass blocks associated with Val-Saint-Lambert. The combination of coloured glass, concrete joints and natural light gives the work a distinctly architectural character: it is not simply decoration, but an integral part of the building. The work is dated 1955 in documentation on Jean Rets and the Osterrath workshop.

Today, the Galerie Cathédrale offers a small glimpse of the optimism of 1950s and 1960s Liège. Much of the original commercial architecture has gradually disappeared, but the surviving work of Jean Rets provides a reminder of a period when architecture, art and everyday shopping were deliberately brought together.

And above the gallery, Le Shanghai continues to occupy its first-floor location — another small piece of the gallery's long history.

Since 2013, Liège has had a contemporary theatre housed partly in the historic building of the Société Libre d’Émulation, an association founded in the 18th century to promote knowledge, science and culture.

The site has a turbulent history. In 1914, during the First World War, 17 civilians were executed here, after which the building was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt in 1939 by architect Koenig, in a neoclassical style using a reinforced-concrete structure and a flexible, open floor plan.

In 2003, the architectural practice of Pierre Hebbelinck and Pierre de Wit was commissioned to carry out a feasibility study for the transformation of the building. Construction began in 2011, based on a complex brief that brought together tangible and intangible heritage, the site's role as a memorial, its urban context and the creation of a contemporary theatre within a building originally designed for another purpose.

The programme required almost twice the available floor area. Rather than simply enlarging the existing building, the architects sought to optimise the available space, first within the historic structure and then by extending it into the surrounding urban space.

The 1939 building now accommodates the main auditorium, entrance and reception areas, circulation spaces, restaurant and administrative offices. The small auditorium, artists’ rooms, cafeteria and various technical, storage and production facilities are housed in new volumes on Place du XX Août and along a nearby street.

Transforming the site into a theatre also presented a major acoustic challenge. The glass façade of the small auditorium became an opportunity to combine technical performance with architectural expression. The room functions both as a rehearsal space and concert hall. Its distinctive sloping façade incorporates several layers of glass separated by air gaps of varying thicknesses, helping to control and diffuse different parts of the sound spectrum.

The theatre also incorporates a work by artist Patrick Corillon. His long-standing collaboration with the architectural practice resulted in the integration of words and fragments of texts throughout the building. These literary interventions form a subtle dialogue with the architecture and invite visitors to discover the building not only through its spaces, but also through language.

The Théâtre de Liège is therefore more than a theatre: it is an example of how heritage, memory, contemporary architecture, art and new technology can be brought together in a single urban project.

There is something comforting about stepping into Librairie Pax: the smell of paper and glue, the density of books and the feeling of escaping the bustle of the city outside. In the heart of Liège, opposite the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters and close to the Société Libre d’Émulation and the Théâtre de Liège, the bookstore has long been part of the city's intellectual and cultural life.

With more than 600 m² spread over three floors, Pax offers a remarkably broad selection of books. The basement and upper floors include a large collection of academic and scientific publications, while the second floor houses a lively children's and comics section, alongside the departments devoted to fine arts and architecture. Naturally, this is also where you can find the Guide Architecture Moderne et Contemporaine 1895–2014 Liège.

The bookstore was expanded in 2012, when the premises at Place Cockerill 4 and 6 were redesigned by Architectenwerkplaats Aloys Beguin–Brigitte Massart SPRL. The brief was essentially practical: to improve access between the different levels and install a lift. But the architects used the intervention to rethink the relationship between the existing spaces, circulation and the building's architectural character.

The project is a good example of how a relatively modest intervention can give an existing building a new lease of life. Rather than replacing the character of the premises, the architects worked with what was already there, combining accessibility, functionality and architectural renewal.

Thanks to the quality of the architecture and the care taken in the successive renovations, Librairie Pax received the Prix d’Urbanisme de la Ville de Liège.

For visitors interested in architecture, Pax is more than a place to buy a book: it is an appropriate stop in a part of Liège where architecture, education, art and culture come together.

The Grand-Poste de Liège (formerly Hôtel des Postes) was built on Rue de la Régence between 1896 and 1901, according to plans by architect Edmond Jamar to house the city's postal services.

The building has not been in use since 2002 and subsequently underwent several renovation projects before being taken over by the investment fund NOSHAQ and the real estate developer BPI at the end of 2016.

The Grand-Poste has been renovated and opened in September 2021. It is a third location with a catering facility, the buildings and studios of the Media, Culture and Communication department of the University of Liège and a community of companies active in the digital, media and entertainment industries.

Four and a half years of renovation, 40 million euros worth of work... The Grand Poste has breathed new life since the end of the summer. It includes 8,000 m2 of coworking space, event locations and creative food initiatives, bringing together the following five uses: a coworking space, a food market, a craft brewery, a location for start-up mentoring programs and the journalism department of the University of Liège.

The footbridge is something for the residents of Outremeuse, the bridge that you cross without a hat for a short crossing. (Georges Simenon)

The Regency Bridge, also called the Saucy Bridge, is an important connection between Outremeuse and the center. It is the natural route to 'the city' for the residents of the island and the preferred route to the Outremeuse district for residents of the center or visitors to the city.

The first footbridge was opened in 1880 after many technical problems, such as repeated flooding, deformation of the longitudinal beams, consolidation and replacement of the handrail with a lighter handrail. It is a construction with a grid structure consisting of two spans, each 52 meters long and 5.80 meters wide. The apron is protected by metal railings. The bridge was accessible on either side of the Maas via two parallel stone steps along the river.

After an international ideas competition in 1996: 'How can you best design the access to the right bank of the Meuse at the foot of the Passerelle?' The city selects the project by Liège architects Etienne Maudoux and Etienne Wathieu and engineer Yves Weinand.

They devide the metal structure in two parts: 'A hanging and cantilevered promenade' consisting of an African wooden railing with a stainless steel lattice railing that draws a wide zigzag and lands gently on the Van Beneden quay. Parallel to the Meuse, a series of bluestone steps leading to the Quai de Gaulle. The project is completed with a 20 meter high mast, which is illuminated by a beam of light at night and is equipped with stays similar to the mast of a sailing boat.

The Maison Charles Magnette is one of the earliest works of Paul Jaspar, one of the leading figures of Liège Art Nouveau. It was built in 1897 for the lawyer and politician Charles Magnette, who would later become a senator and minister.

At first glance, Jaspar's design remains closely connected to the architectural traditions of Liège. The façade combines bands of bluestone, red brick and a projecting bay window, while the geometric stained-glass windows add a distinctly modern touch to the otherwise traditional palette.

But the house also contains a more unusual layer of meaning. Charles Magnette was a prominent member of Belgian Freemasonry, and this is reflected in the decoration at the top of the façade. Four panels are executed in sgraffito, a technique in which layers of differently coloured plaster are scratched through to reveal the colour beneath. Their imagery is inspired by Egyptian hieroglyphs.

The four panels represent successive stages in the pursuit of justice: arrest, defence, conviction and justice. The symbols are therefore not simply decorative; they turn the façade into a kind of visual narrative, reflecting Magnette's profession as a lawyer as well as his Masonic affiliations.

Maison Charles Magnette is a particularly interesting early example of Jaspar's approach: traditional Liège materials and forms are combined with Art Nouveau geometry, symbolism and new decorative techniques.

The Maison Henri Alexandre is an Art Nouveau house built in 1907 by architect Joseph Barsin. It forms part of a remarkable concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in this part of Liège. Other examples can be found along the same street, including Maison Defeld by Victor Rogister at No. 19, as well as houses at Nos. 4, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Nearby, Maison Meyers stands on Boulevard de l’Est, while Maison Corombelle can be found on Rue Saint-Éloi.

What makes Maison Henri Alexandre particularly interesting is its connection with the floral branch of Art Nouveau. This current was developed in Brussels from the 1890s, notably by Victor Horta, and is associated with the characteristic “whiplash” or flowing line, inspired by the forms and movements of nature.

This contrasts with much of the Art Nouveau architecture in Liège, which tends to be more geometric, as seen in the work of architects such as Paul Hankar and Paul Jaspar.

The house has an asymmetrical façade organised in two bays and three storeys. The narrower left bay contains the entrance, while the wider right-hand bay rises slightly above the first floor, creating an irregular silhouette.

The restrained material palette consists mainly of white glazed brick, known as Silesian brick, combined with blue stone for the window sills, mouldings and horizontal bands.

Maison Henri Alexandre is therefore a modest but telling example of the floral Art Nouveau in Liège — a reminder that the city's architecture around 1900 was not limited to the more familiar geometric vocabulary.

The Maison Defeld, built in 1907 by Victor Rogister, is a fine example of the more geometric and rational side of Liège Art Nouveau. Rogister designed the house for the hairdresser Defeld, paying particular attention to the rhythm and proportions of the façade.

At first glance, the building appears highly ordered and almost restrained. Yet the façade avoids monotony through subtle variations from one floor to the next. The slender windows and projecting bay windows reinforce the vertical character of the house, while horizontal bands and details in blue stone provide a counterpoint to the upward movement.

The bay windows are one of the building's most characteristic features. They are topped by semicircular openings, whose slender divisions form a distinctive horseshoe-shaped arch. This motif recalls the architecture of Paul Hankar, particularly his Hôtel Ciamberlani in Brussels, built in 1897. The reference is significant: Hankar was one of the pioneers of Belgian Art Nouveau and an important influence on the more geometric tendency of the movement.

Rogister combines these geometric forms with a surprisingly rich decorative vocabulary. Beneath the cornice are panels decorated with spheres, while the ground floor is enlivened by sculpted heads. These details add a touch of fantasy and craftsmanship to an otherwise carefully controlled composition.

The contrast between vertical windows, horizontal stone bands, geometric ornament and sculptural details gives the façade its distinctive tension. Nothing is entirely ornamental or purely functional: each element contributes to the overall rhythm of the building.

Maison Defeld is therefore a good illustration of Rogister's approach to Art Nouveau. Rather than relying on flowing floral motifs, he explores geometry, proportion, repetition and carefully placed decoration. The result is a façade that is both rational and expressive — characteristic of the particular architectural language that developed in Liège around 1900.

Georges Simenon has been part of the urban landscape of Liège for more than a decade — in the broadest sense of the word. The site is both an architectural and cultural reference point, appearing in publications and exhibitions on contemporary architecture and heritage. It has also developed into an important meeting place for local associations and social tourism.

Following an ideas competition for a new youth hostel, the ARTerre architectural group was commissioned to develop the project. From the outset, the architects worked with a wide range of partners and began with a detailed study of the surrounding neighbourhood and the island of Outremeuse.

The resulting architecture deliberately avoids standing apart from its surroundings. The new volumes, shapes and materials are carefully composed in dialogue with the existing buildings, creating a contemporary addition that nevertheless feels rooted in the neighbourhood.

An alleyway connects the courtyard with the street. Besides providing a practical route through the site, it plays an important role during the annual 15 August festivities, when Outremeuse comes alive with celebrations.

The project also extends beyond the building itself. In collaboration with visual artist Daniel Dutrieux, the architects and the City of Liège rethought the entire junction around the site. Several of these ideas were later incorporated into the European Regional Development Fund project “Liège retrouve son fleuve” (“Liège finds its river again”).

The relationship between the forecourt and courtyard, the mural high on the neighbouring building and the various artistic interventions all contribute to a broader urban composition. Particularly striking is the massive chained stone element, surrounded by stone benches engraved with texts by Georges Simenon. The reference to the writer is therefore not simply a name attached to the building: his life, travels and writings become part of the design of the public space.

Here, architecture, art, literature and urban planning are deliberately intertwined. The youth hostel is not an isolated object, but part of a larger attempt to reconnect this part of Liège with its neighbourhood, its inhabitants and the river.

This short stretch of Rue du Parlement is a small showcase of the architecture of Victor Rogister, one of the most distinctive architects of Liège Art Nouveau. Around Maison Counet, at Nos. 2 and 6–8, stand several houses by Rogister, including the remarkable Maison aux Aztèques. Together they demonstrate his fascination with geometry, sculpture, symbolism and highly individual façades.

Maison Counet

The Maison Counet is considered one of Rogister's masterpieces and ranks among his most accomplished Art Nouveau houses in Liège, alongside Maison Piot, Maison Pieper and Maison Lapaille.

Built in a style close to the Vienna Secession, the house makes a powerful first impression through the whiteness of its façade. Yet this apparent simplicity is balanced by the lower part of the building, where sandstone and blue stone are combined in a carefully composed pattern.

A strong stylistic unity runs through the entire façade. Repetition and alignment are essential: alternating window openings structure the upper floors, while rows of small blue ceramic tiles create horizontal lines at ground level, beneath the windows of the first floor and between those of the second.

The most striking feature is the corner turret, an exceptional element in Liège Art Nouveau. Rising through the full height of the building, it turns the corner into a vertical architectural accent. Its base rests on a massive stone console, while eight identical windows give the turret a remarkably regular rhythm. The tower forms the distinctive crown of Rogister's composition.

The façade also contains a more enigmatic element. Around the entrance and on the corner are three stone sculptures of female heads, each with closed eyes and a covered or gagged mouth. Their meaning remains open to interpretation. Could they refer to the Masonic ideal of discretion, an environment with which Rogister was familiar? Or might they allude to the Japanese tradition of the three wise monkeys, associated with the principles of seeing, hearing and remaining silent?

Whatever their precise meaning, the sculptures give Maison Counet a distinctly mysterious and almost theatrical character.

House of the Aztecs

Just a few doors away, at Nos. 6–8, stands the House of the Aztecs, built in 1906, also by Victor Rogister. Another Art Nouveau house by Rogister can be found at No. 2 Rue du Parlement.

The imposing building has two upper storeys and four window axes. The three right-hand axes form a largely symmetrical composition, while the left-hand bay is deliberately shifted and treated differently. The ground floor, originally occupied by a pastry shop, now houses an architectural office, with apartments on the upper floors.

The central axis of the symmetrical section is particularly elaborate. On the top floor, a circular motif within a round arch forms the centre of the composition. A balcony with finely worked ironwork combines straight lines, curves and elliptical forms. Above it rise two rectangular pilasters decorated with circles, while the space between them is filled with sgraffito depicting two female heads in profile.

Below the balcony, two stone consoles support sculptures of Aztec heads, which gave the building its popular name.

Rogister's use of Aztec imagery is characteristic of the eclectic imagination of Art Nouveau, when architects freely drew inspiration from distant cultures, historical styles and decorative traditions. Here, geometric ornament, sculpture, sgraffito and metalwork are brought together into a single, highly theatrical façade.

Seen together, Maison Counet and the House of the Aztecs reveal Rogister at his most inventive: an architect who transformed the façade from a simple building envelope into a carefully composed world of geometry, craftsmanship, symbolism and mystery.