Page 11 - Pascal Smet News Today

Belgium 15:02 10/02/2021 Brussels MP Bianca Debaets (CD&V) told parliament that she would like to see smoke detectors in every residence. Currently smoke detectors are only required in rental properties in the capital. Requiring one or more smoke alarms in every home would bring Brussels into line with regulations in Flanders and Wallonia. According to the latest Fire Safety Monitor, from 2018, 65% of homes in Brussels are equipped with a smoke alarm. The Brussels fire brigade, said Debaets, ha...

An Art Nouveau gem unmasked in Covid-hit Brussels AFP 1/30/2021 AFP © François WALSCHAERTS The Hotel Solvay, an Art Nouveau gem in Brussels, is now open for public visits An emblematic Art Nouveau mansion designed by Belgian architect Victor Horta has opened its doors to the public in Brussels, revealing a long hidden jewel of the citys Belle Epoque glory. "It is perhaps even more important in the time of Covid to be able to spend a relaxing moment in the midst of this com...

SHARE An emblematic Art Nouveau mansion designed by Belgian architect Victor Horta has opened its doors to the public in Brussels, revealing a long hidden jewel of the citys Belle Epoque glory. "It is perhaps even more important in the time of Covid to be able to spend a relaxing moment in the midst of this complete beauty," said Pascal Smet, heritage minister for the Brussels Region. Smet acted as a guide for a handful of journalists around the Hotel Solvay, a three-storey mansion with a majes...

Living 11:16 26/01/2021 In what could be one of the most impressive urban regeneration projects Brussels has ever seen, the Avenue de la Toison dOr and the Boulevard de Waterloo in the upper part of the city centre will be redeveloped to form what some are calling ‘the Champs-Elysées Brussels’. The redevelopment project, presented before the regional elections in 2019, is now entering a new phase, that of the public inquiry which starts this Wednesday, 27 January. The consultation will las...

Culture 10:40 22/01/2021 For years, politicians have been talking about the classification of the Atomium, but the City of Brussels has always provided enough opposition to prevent the iconic structure from gaining protected status. However, the latest attempts may finally result in a positive outcome. Classifying a building is a legal issue. It ensures that a building is protected. According to Atomium director Henri Simons, all the ministers he has had dealings with on the issue over the year...

Culture 15:22 21/01/2021 No more waiting for an architecture festival or guided tour: Victor Horta’s masterpiece on Avenue Louise is now open to visitors The Hôtel Solvay, considered one of Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta’s greatest masterpieces, has been opened to the public. While previously the mansion at Avenue Louise 224 in Ixelles was open only during certain festivals or for guided group tours, it is now open to individual visitors on Thursdays and some Saturdays. “I am pleased...

Culture 09:26 12/01/2021 The City of Brussels has given the green light to modified plans for the redevelopment of the Place Royale. The revamped design will be the subject of a public consultation before final approval is given, Ans Persoons, the council member responsible for urban planning and public space, announced on Monday. The modified plans presented by federal investment fund Beliris, which replace those for a more minimalist revamp which had been considered by the Consultative Commit...

Culture 09:26 12/01/2021 The City of Brussels has given the green light to modified plans for the redevelopment of the Place Royale. The revamped design will be the subject of a public consultation before final approval is given, Ans Persoons, the council member responsible for urban planning and public space, announced on Monday. The modified plans presented by federal investment fund Beliris, which replace those for a more minimalist revamp which had been considered by the Consultative Commit...

Transport 10:56 11/01/2021 Taxi federation Febet has warned that it is considering calling a strike in protest against the Zone 30 speed restrictions in the Brussels Capital region and the capital’s proposed per-kilometre road tax, citing a lack of consultation on both policies. But the Brussels Taxi Federation (BTF), which split from Febet two years ago, prefers the path of dialogue. "We have been requesting a consultation and more information on the governments intentions on mobility since ...