«Firmly rooted in Belgian culture, design can be seen in many different spaces.»
Beyond the must-see museums that we strongly urge you to see, there are other, less conventional places or events that shouldn’t be missed by those spending a weekend discovering Brussels and its treasures.
Z33
Bonnefantenstraat 1, 3500 Hasselt
Off the beaten track, Z33 is an original artistic venue – even, to some eyes, a revolutionary one – that’s become an institution over the years. Created in Hasselt in 2002, Z33 has taken things up a notch with the development of an exceptional new space created as a city within a city by Italian architect Francesca Torzo.
Take a trip to the north of Liège, not far from the German border, to explore this place at the crossroads of art, design and architecture.
Atelier JESPERS
149 Avenue du Prince Héritier, 1200 Brussels
Its setting in a modernist house created in 1928 by Victor Bourgeois, a member of the CIAM and the first professor of La Cambre’s architecture workshop, gives the Atelier Jespers the historical and aesthetic footing its exhibitions require to be truly exceptional.
With inspiring exhibitions for visitors, especially those organised within the framework of Design September and Art Brussels – major events on the Brussels scene – Atelier Jespers stands out of as one of Brussels’ must-sees.
Le GRAND HORNU
Rue Sainte-Louise 82, 7301 Hornu
Not far from the border with France, Le Grand Hornu owes its reputation as much to its architecture as to the quality of its exhibitions, especially those dedicated to Belgian and international design run by the CID (Centre d’Innovation et Design).
In fact, this place – a vast, vaulted 19th-century industrial building that had been long abandoned before being bought and renovated by an enlightened architect – features numerous spaces housing exhibition zones that together form a kind of circuit.
MAD, HOME OF CREATORS
Place du Nouveau Marché aux Grains 10, 1000 Brussels
Located in the heart of the Belgian capital, MAD, Home of Creators (known as Le MAD) is one of the most dynamic platforms in Europe in terms of fashion and design.
A place of creation, the MAD thus sets up throughout the year numerous initiatives and events intended to support all the actors in these two sectors and to promote their development and their local and international influence.
With these large exhibitions and work spaces, "Le MAD" is a place of creation to be visited without a detour to feel the pulse of Belgian creativity.
Design Museum Gent
Jan Breydelstraat 5, 9000 Gent
ADAM Brussels Design Museum
Place de Belgique 1, 1020 Brussels
These two museums, one in Brussels and the other in Gent, delight design- and interiors-lovers with their very rich permanent collections. The exhibitions, as in many museums, are less oriented towards young creators but satisfy all design aficionados, from true connoisseurs and experts to fans looking for iconic pieces.