The Saint-Cyr manor (1903), on Ambiorix Square, where one can gaze in wonder at a magnificent concentration of Brussels’s Art Nouveau buildings, is one of the gems in the crown of Brussels heritage. The building, which was designed by the architect Gustave Strauven on commission from artist Georges de Saint-Cyr, was listed as a monument in 1988. The Saint-Cyr residence is built around a central staircase with vertical illumination.
The residence was fully oriented at the park and was therefore built completely transparent through the use of detailed decorative metal work and light, decorative outside joinery in wood. At the top, the façade ends in a large, round, oriental inspired oculus, crowned with a decorative wrought iron decorative element.
Sum was commissioned by the owner to restore the front façade. In a first phase the stability of the monumental front façade, which had clearly suffered from wicking, metal corrosion and sagging, was addressed. In a next phase, the façade was restored, taking account of the materials used and the colour scheme of the original design.
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