The Brussels dream of Peeters and Schuiten

17/11/2021

The new book by Benoît Peeters and François Schuiten, "Brussels, a Capital Dream", has just been published. These authors owe much of their fame to the cycle of "The Obscure Cities", and in particular to their book which offers a futuristic vision of the Belgian capital "Brüsel". They have once again brought out a beautiful book in the form of a dreamlike walking guide, which invites us to (re)discover a city with many charms.

This time, the idea is to show Brussels in its best light. The authors highlight remarkable architecture, such as the Palais Stoclet, the Maison du Peuple, the Palais de Justice, the Atomium, the Galeries Royales St Hubert and the Maison Autrique. They evoke events that changed the urban landscape, including the vaulting of the Senne and Expo 58, and remarkable Brussels personalities such as Victor Horta, Henry van de Velde and Charles Buls, who all left their mark on the city. As such, the reader discovers both well-known and lesser-known corners and buildings that are well worth a visit, because as Benoît Peeters says, "This city requires you to give of yourself, to go in search of its hidden beauties."

 

The book contains a number of Schuiten's rare drawings, many of which have never been published before, and Peeters has written an original text based on true, documented stories to accompany them. His work is peppered with a collection of quotations, which offer a vivid portrait of the city in the 19th and 20th centuries. This is not a comic book in the strict sense of the word, but rather a subjective look at Brussels.