Parcours d’architectes #3 Josse Franssen

Parcours d’architectes is a collection of architectural monographs devoted to the work of architects who shaped the built landscape of Brussels after the First World War.

The series focuses on figures whose work remains relatively little known to the wider public, yet deserves greater recognition for the close and nuanced relationship it establishes with the city. Each volume highlights a singular trajectory—both literally and figuratively—revealing the built heritage as well as lesser-known and underexplored facets of Brussels’ urban history.

This volume of the collection is dedicated to architect Josse Franssen (1906–1990) and his works in the Brussels Region. It invites readers to rediscover the oeuvre and remarkable career of an architect who fully embraced the principles and vision of Belgian modernism.

His residential buildings and housing projects are distinguished by a clear and rational spatial organisation, while his architectural language—both elegant and functional—responds with precision to the specific demands of each programme. In many projects, he collaborated with contemporary sculptors, integrating their works into façades and entrance spaces, thereby enriching the architectural composition.