Forest town hall restored to former glory

If Palais Stoclet in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre remains resolutely closed to visitors, anyone can explore a slightly similar and equally stunning Art Deco building at the other end of the capital – Forest town hall - which has recently reopened after a lengthy renovation.

The H-shaped complex was designed in the 1930s by architect Jean-Baptiste Dewin (1873-1948) – with the date 1934 embossed on the outside wall.

One of the commune’s architectural highlights, this maison communale features stained glass windows and marble galore inside and gleaming gold figures, beautiful bas-relief scenes and even myriad gargoyles outside. Officially inaugurated on 27 November 1937, it was classified in 1992.

And apart from small mosaics in the tiling, all the materials in this building which reopened this month following 10 years of renovation are original – a choice made to remain faithful to Dewin’s architecture.

“I can see that some work has been done, but it’s pretty much the same as before, there are no major changes,” Pedro, a Forest resident since 2000, told RTBF.

“It’s a beautiful place and I’m very happy to be back,” another local resident added. “The stained glass windows, the upper galleries and the marble are really magnificent.”

Indeed, while Brussels has always been linked to Art Nouveau – given the omnipresence of masters including Victor Horta, Paul Hankar and Henri Van de Velde, “Brussels is also home to a huge treasure trove of Art Deco architecture,” said Ans Persoons, outgoing Brussels state secretary for urban planning and heritage.

“Therefore we will dedicate the year 2025 to this intriguing art and architectural movement.

“This beautifully renovated town hall of Forest will undoubtedly be one of the eye-catchers during our Brussels Art Deco Year 2025, along with other masterpieces such as the Villa Empain.”

Forest councillor for public works, Françoise Père, was also delighted. “We have finally been able to reopen the doors of this iconic location in the heart of Forest," she said.

"The residents will be welcomed in much better conditions and in beautiful heritage restored to its former glory. This is a prestige project for our municipality, and we are proud of the work that has been done."

From July this year, different services started moving back into Forest town hall. Now, the population department has also returned to the building and the municipal council will again take place in a brand new council chamber.

The renovation was not only the ideal opportunity to reorganise and refocus the reception and services provided to residents, but it was also the chance to adapt the town hall’s working environment to make it more comfortable for the employees.

As this is a real challenge in a listed building that was built almost a century ago, much more than a simple rearrangement of services was needed, said Forest mayor Mariam El Hamidine.

“The challenge was enormous: to make the town hall a place for all Forest people, not only accessible to all, but also a workplace where all employees feel good.”

Ingrid Vleminckx, the head of Forest’s registry office, told RTBF: “Now we can work in peace and quiet. The difference between the back office and the front office is appreciable.

“First of all, we had the work of moving house and unpacking the boxes, but it was really a joy to see colleagues we hadn’t seen, in some cases for 10 years.

“We also met new staff members that we knew from emails and phone calls, but whose faces we’d never seen before.”