Maison
Monument
Maison, located in Marcq-en-Baroeul (Nord), is a modern edifice built in the 19th-20th centuries. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Modern (19th-20th century)
- Location
- Marcq-en-Baroeul, Nord, Hauts-de-France
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 50.6680, 3.1012
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00135489
An Art Deco masterpiece dating from 1933 in Marcq-en-Barœul, this villa combines neo-classicism and Brussels references in an elegant dialogue between two cross-border architectural schools.
History
In Marcq-en-Barœul, a wealthy residential community in the Lille metropolitan area, stands a villa that bears fine witness to the industrial refinement of the 1930s. Commissioned by Jules Notelaers, a prosperous biscuit-maker from Tourcoing, this private house embodies the Franco-Belgian architectural culture that characterised the great textile and agri-food fortunes of the North at the time. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1995, it represents a discreet but essential milestone in the history of regional architecture between the wars. What makes this residence truly unique is the creative tension between two apparently opposing architectural languages: on the one hand, the ordered rigour of neo-classicism, and on the other, the ornamental freedom of Art Deco. Architect R. Vandenheede, trained in the Brussels tradition, managed to reconcile the two with remarkable mastery. References to Belgian bourgeois architecture - notably the private mansions on the avenues of Bois de la Cambre and Avenue Louise in Brussels - shine through in the composition of the facades, while the decorative details resolutely speak the language of the Roaring Twenties. The interior of the house extends this total aesthetic ambition, so dear to the Art Deco ideal of the complete work of art. The furniture, custom-designed by the architect himself and executed by the prestigious Decoene firm in Courtrai, transformed each room into a coherent whole where architecture and the decorative arts were one. While some of the original furniture has unfortunately disappeared, the interior architecture retains the power of a project thought out down to the smallest detail. To visit this villa is to plunge into the world of the Franco-Belgian industrial bourgeoisie at its height, a bourgeoisie that commissioned its houses from renowned architects, employed the best craftsmen on both sides of the border and lived in homes designed as aesthetic manifestos. In the architectural landscape of Nord-Pas-de-Calais, often dominated by large factories and "corons", this project is a rare example of private patronage between the wars. The residential setting of Marcq-en-Barœul, with its wide tree-lined avenues and unspoilt gardens, provides the villa with a setting worthy of its ambition. For lovers of Art Deco architecture, enthusiasts of the industrial history of Northern France or those seeking to understand the intense cultural exchanges between France and Belgium in the first half of the 20th century, this listed house is a must-see destination.
Architecture
The architecture of this 1933 villa is based on a skilful blend of neo-classicism and Art Deco, two trends that might be thought to be mutually exclusive, but which architect Vandenheede reconciles with typical Brussels skill. The general composition of the facades follows a classical logic: symmetry, hierarchy of levels, careful treatment of openings framed and crowned according to academic rules. The reference to the private mansions of the Belgian upper middle class is perceptible in the scale, the rhythm of the bays and the overall monumental sobriety. But it is in the decorative detailing that Art Deco makes its strongest impact. Geometric ornamentation, stylised motifs borrowed from the decorative arts vocabulary of the twenties and thirties, ironwork with taut lines, bay frames with angular mouldings - all these elements betray the influence of the 1925 Exhibition and contemporary Belgian modernist trends. The use of noble materials, dressed stone and meticulous rendering, gives the building a quality of execution that is typical of quality middle-class buildings of this period in the north of France. Inside, the original decorative scheme continued the logic of a total work of art, with custom-designed joinery, integrated furniture designed by the architect, and wood panelling and mouldings creating distinct atmospheres in each room. The Decoene company in Courtrai, responsible for producing the furniture, guaranteed an exceptional level of craftsmanship. Although part of the interior layout has disappeared, the volumes, circulation and fixed architectural decorations still bear witness to the initial coherence of the project.
Related Figures
Jules Notelaers — industriel de la biscuiterie à Tourcoing, commanditaire de la villa en 1933R. Vandenheede — architecte belge, concepteur du projet, auteur du dessin du mobilierAugustin Masquillet — entrepreneur à Tourcoing, chargé de l'exécution des travaux de constructionMaison Decoene (Courtrai) — atelier artisanal flamand réputé, exécutant du mobilier intérieur
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison located?
Maison is located in Marcq-en-Baroeul, Nord department, Hauts-de-France region, France.
When was Maison built?
Maison dates back to a period built in the modern era (19th-20th century).
Is Maison open to visitors?
Maison is currently closed to visitors.