Museum of Ixelles to get facelift

Brussels’ Museum of Ixelles, which houses major collections of 19th-20th-century European art, is to undergo a major renovation, writes brusselnieuws.be. Antwerp architecture firm B-Architecten came out the winner of the recent competition for the project, and are now faced with the task of improving the legibility of the building plans on a €1.8 million budget.

The Museum of Ixelles’ collection consists of about 13,000 pieces of mainly Belgian 20th-century art, and the museum has a strong track record as an exhibition space. The museum layout, however, is incoherent, making it difficult for visitors to navigate the maze-like interior.

B-Architecten are now tasked with making the museum more open and transparent, writes De Standaard. The facade will get a facelift in the form of a layer of light grey precast concrete. A large café is also in the works.

The start date for the renovation is not yet known, but the museum is applying for building permits this summer. The project should take one to two years to finish.