Modernist experiments in a 1970s Belgian student town.
Louvain-la-Neuve is a small university town in Belgium where I was raised. It’s a true Modernist gem… says no one but me. Many Belgians dismiss it as an ugly student town, overlooking its incredible Brutalist architectural heritage.
Built from scratch in the 1970s to house the Université Catholique de Louvain after linguistic disputes, the town was designed in Modernist and Brutalist styles for three key reasons: it reflected the post-war architectural trends of the time, matched the intellectual aspirations of the university by adopting cutting-edge design, and symbolized innovation and progress for the new town. Multiple architects were commissioned to ensure design diversity, turning Louvain-la-Neuve into a playground for modern architectural experimentation.
My favorite building is the Brutalist masterpiece, Ancienne Bibliothèque des Sciences by André Jacqmain, currently under consideration for heritage classification.
Written and photographed by Alexandra van der Essen
alexandravanderessen.com 
Leave a comment