Green architecture in Brussels.
Tag Archives: architecture
Once a two story building was standing here. Soon an ugly block will rise up.
Art Nouveau firstly emerged in the early 1890′s, particularly in Brussels, Paris and London. Benefiting from a period of considerable economic wealth and development the city gone through a substantial building programme. We can conclude that the Art Nouveau movement was highly linked to industry and the growth of modern commercialism. Its name was even given by a businessman.
As for Brussels, architects such as Victor Horta initiated new and innovative design projects in the city. This led to the maturity of Art Nouveau. It was in Brussels that glass and iron were combined visibly to create light and airy interiors. Here in my photo walk during the Art Nouveau walk during the Biennale does not provide any images from indoor but more on facades of the buildings.
In October, my walk started in Schaerbeek and followed a route from Botanique area to Parc Josaphart then passed to Square Ambroix. I have not only focused on Art Nouveau buildings but also modern or random architecture.
So here in this photo set, you will see the Ancien Immeuble RVS (the first photo), details of Maison Autrique, private house in Rue Seutin 8, Ancien hôtel de la Régie des Téléphones et des Télégraphes (large photo below) in Schaerbeek. Quaker house, Hanse office, Hôtel Van Eetvelde, Maison de Gustave Strauven in square Ambroix.
Architectural landscape of Brussels is bringing high contrast and I love it. Just like the French and the Dutch newspapers.
It was a nice walk in a cold Sunday afternoon. It was rather sad because this was my last roll from devoted Leica Minilux, which suffered a E02 failure while shooting this roll. See the first photo in this post with multiple exposure. Normally Leica Minilux does not have that capability but because of the shutter failure it resulted in multiple exposure. After 3.5 half years and 30 rolls of film I had to say farewell to the Minilux.
Leica minilux
Ilford FP4 Plus 125
Process&Scan by TechnophotoOctober 2011 Brussels
Your life is always in between…
My hometown in constant change. The only place that will remain the same is the church courtyard and the Christian cemetery.
The middle photo is the house of my grandmothers friend. This is one of the last building that will be converted to a new-tall apartment block.
Brussels is constantly under construction. They keep building, a lego town.
Carena SRH-1000
Kodak Gold200
Expired
Process&Scan by TechnophotoOctober 2011 Brussels
Tiny holes.
Carena SRH-1000
Kodak Gold200
Expired
Process&Scan by TechnophotoOctober 2011 Brussels
Over a year I had couple of expired Agfa Vista’s ISO 200 & 400 all in boxed. These film came as 24+3 exposures and were placed in batches of 3 each. ISO 200 were my preference for sometime but each time I had a problem with the cameras I have tried. For example last summer when I got my 35mm reflex Carena, I encountered the rookie mistake of tearing down the film. This year it happened to be a problem with rewinding back. Well finally my last ISO 200 film was in place and I was enjoying rather a cold but sunny Brussels Sunday afternoon mainly in the unknown surroundings of Brussels. A walk that started in Place Rogier (in the center of Brussels) and followed a path along the canal Brussels-Charleroi in Molenbeek to reach Place Louise area which is close to my home.
I was in love with this film stock and I regret not buying more of the ISO 200 (I have 7 roll of ISO 400′s) as this was my last roll. The grain and tones with sun were amazing. By the way I have tried to use a polarizer cokin filter with my Carena and applied mainly the sunny-16 rule for calculating my exposures. Results were satisfying in general with few shots underexposed.
Molenbeek region of Brussels is rather poor and also a bit dirty. I never go there except for a concert venue Vk*. I was happy to walk around in streets I have never been. I have not consulted my mobile navigation but always took the Palais du Justice, the largest courthouse in Europe, as a reference point for my direction.
In this set I have included the architecture related shots. I have few street-art and also candid people shots. During the walk while trying to capture a corner building with a 70s style giant building advertising of the Spanish flag-carrier Iberia in painting I had a chat with someone. Actually it was not a pleasant dialogue. I tried to shoot the building several times but the exposure mechanism of my Carena was stubborn and I could not succeed so I gave it up and continued to walk. Suddenly someone was running behind me and calling me Monseur! I thought he is going to ask for some money or sell me something so did not paid attention. Apparently he run out of the cafe which was placed under the building I was trying to capture. He demanded me to show him the photos I took and asked why I am doing photography there. I got the situation, he was not happy with the possibility that his face is recorded. With my humble French I tried to explain him that I can not show any photo as I was holding a film camera not a digital one and at I was just doing architecture photography not people portraits. I also tired to explain that the lens I use was not a zoom-one and at the end I could not even managed to make the photo of the building! In short I was able to convince the guy that I am not a secret police or anything like that… Anyway I thought it was time to go home, I did not felt very safe in Molenbeek as expected.
It was a nice walk in the dirty streets of sad and yet beautiful Brussels.
Carena SRH-1000
Agfa Vista 200
Expired
Process&Scan by TechnophotoOctober 2011 Brussels
Nothing can be hidden when love is reflected from your heart.
Carena SRH-1000
Agfa Vista 200
Expired
Process&Scan by TechnophotoOctober 2011 Brussels
Doors wide open, I can easily enter one. Does it matter where I end?
