The Villa Empain, a jewel of Art Deco and an iconic building in Brussels built in the 1930's by the architect Michel Polak, has had an eventful destiny. Requisitioned during the Second World War, it passed from hand to hand for almost forty years, before being abandoned during the 1990's.

It needed all the perseverance and talent of dozens of craftsmen to restore it to its former glory, until its reopening to the public in 2010, under the aegis of the Boghossian Foundation. This book retraces this unusual adventure. The Villa Empain has become a Centre for art and dialogue between the cultures of the East and the West, and is now an essential venue for culture on the Brussels art scene, whose timeless charm and elegance continue to delight visitors.

The Villa Empain, a jewel of Art Deco and an iconic building in Brussels built in the 1930's by the architect Michel Polak, has had an eventful destiny. Requisitioned during the Second World War, it passed from hand to hand for almost forty years, before being abandoned during the 1990's.

It needed all the perseverance and talent of dozens of craftsmen to restore it to its former glory, until its reopening to the public in 2010, under the aegis of the Boghossian Foundation. This book retraces this unusual adventure. The Villa Empain has become a Centre for art and dialogue between the cultures of the East and the West, and is now an essential venue for culture on the Brussels art scene, whose timeless charm and elegance continue to delight visitors.