Maison Autrique Brussels

This was the first building of note by Horta, commissioned by a friend and fellow mason in 1893. As per the brief, it shows little luxury or extravagance, but design elements such as the curlicued mosaics on the hall floor hint at the art nouveau wave that was about to sweep Brussels to architectural glory. The house hosts regularly changing exhibitions, and the website offers an interesting downloadable walking guide to the neighbourhood (www.autrique.be/images/PDF/plan.fr.pdf). The attic installation plays homage to a later resident, inventor Axel Wappendorf, who worked here on prototyping transport contraptions.