Villa Empain

Brussels, Belgium

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

Villa Empain is a landmark Art Deco residence in Brussels, Belgium, designed by Swiss-Belgian architect Michel Polak and built between 1930 and 1934 for Baron Louis Empain, son of the industrialist Édouard Empain. The luxurious villa exemplifies the style through polished granite façades, high-end materials including marble and bronze, and refined spaces such as a courtyard and swimming pool, earning it recognition as one of the city's finest Art Deco achievements. Shortly after completion, Louis Empain donated the property to the Belgian state; it subsequently served as a museum, Soviet embassy, and corporate offices before falling into disuse and deterioration in the late 1990s. Following restoration in 2009–10, the villa reopened as a cultural centre and exhibition space managed by the Boghossian Foundation, now accessible to the public as a protected monument.