Built in 1937, Maxime Brunfaut's Art Deco style Tuberculosis Sanatorium was opened to international acclaim. It's bold lines, light and airy interiors, and imaginative use of space were all a refreshing change to the corridor hospitals of the earlier part of the century. Light, space and air all were considered key components of a successful recovery from a disease without a medicinal cure.
We approached the site from the West, having parked on the other side of the N4 road out of Brussels. A climb up a small hill was met with an interesting sight, a long avenue leading into the distance, with a white columned entrance, stained with green from the moss of 21 years of decay.
With an active life of just 50 years, the Lemaire sanatorium had two uses, first as for Tuberculosis sufferers from the region, and then as a nursing home.
The entrance to the site itself was unremarkable, a toppled section of Heras fencing walked over, a 6 storied, dirty white building loomed over, spreading it's shadow into the surrounding woodland.
We entered this seemingly unremarkable building, into what appeared to be a modern entrance hall. The floor was covered in soggy ceiling tiles, water dripped from the roof, the faded grandeur recognisable from the cleared area around the mosaicked floor.
What appeared to be granite and marbled columns had been vandalised with mindless grafitti. What we'd experienced the previous day in Gent was not replicated here; there were no animals painted on the walls, no commentary, just doodles
The veranda areas for the 150 male patients had seen the plants laid out block the views over the lawn in front.
At the back of the site there was shade - built to be south facing, the whole front of the hospital was bathed in light during our trip.
Inside was unremarkable. A square room is a square room. But this place had such a light and airy feel that we must have hit it on the right time of the right day.
We made it to the roof.
When we were getting ready to leave, I noticed a darkened corridor, leading to what I thought would be the mortuary. If so, it was unusual to have it built into the site.
We made our way round to the front to get some exterior images.
I really liked this site. It's unlike anywhere I've been in the UK.
Save the Sanatorium.
We approached the site from the West, having parked on the other side of the N4 road out of Brussels. A climb up a small hill was met with an interesting sight, a long avenue leading into the distance, with a white columned entrance, stained with green from the moss of 21 years of decay.
With an active life of just 50 years, the Lemaire sanatorium had two uses, first as for Tuberculosis sufferers from the region, and then as a nursing home.
The entrance to the site itself was unremarkable, a toppled section of Heras fencing walked over, a 6 storied, dirty white building loomed over, spreading it's shadow into the surrounding woodland.
We entered this seemingly unremarkable building, into what appeared to be a modern entrance hall. The floor was covered in soggy ceiling tiles, water dripped from the roof, the faded grandeur recognisable from the cleared area around the mosaicked floor.
What appeared to be granite and marbled columns had been vandalised with mindless grafitti. What we'd experienced the previous day in Gent was not replicated here; there were no animals painted on the walls, no commentary, just doodles
At the back of the site there was shade - built to be south facing, the whole front of the hospital was bathed in light during our trip.
Inside was unremarkable. A square room is a square room. But this place had such a light and airy feel that we must have hit it on the right time of the right day.
We made it to the roof.
When we were getting ready to leave, I noticed a darkened corridor, leading to what I thought would be the mortuary. If so, it was unusual to have it built into the site.
We made our way round to the front to get some exterior images.
I really liked this site. It's unlike anywhere I've been in the UK.
Save the Sanatorium.
