Casa Tassel was a townhouse in Brussels, Belgium built in 1894. It was designed by architect Victor Horta for scientist Emile Tassel and is considered the first true Art Nouveau building due to its innovative design. Horta broke from traditional schemes by building the house from three distinct yet connected parts - two conventional brick buildings linked by a steel structure covered with glass that functioned as a light shaft bringing natural light inside. Horta designed every detail of the house, successfully integrating lavish decoration without masking the architectural structure.

1. CASA TASSEL
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Casa tassel, Brussels, Belgium
• Construction: Bearing type Masonry, Brick and Stone
• Building Type: Townhouse
• Built In: 1894
• Climate: Temperate
• Architect: Victor Horta
• It is a town house built by Victor Horta for the Belgian scientist and
professor Emile Tassel.
• It is generally considered as the first true Art Nouveau building, because
of its highly innovative plan and its groundbreaking use of materials and
decoration.
• It consisted of a suite of rooms on the left side of the building plot
flanked by a rather narrow entrance hall with stairs and a corridor that
led to a small garden at the back.
• Only the first and the last room had windows so that the middle room
(mostly used as a dining room) was rather gloomy.
• At the Hotel Tassel Horta definitively broke with this traditional scheme.
In fact he built a house consisting of three different parts. Two rather
conventional buildings in brick and natural stone — one on the side of
the street and one on the side of the garden — were linked by a steel
structure covered with glass.
• It functions as the connective part in the spatial composition of the
house and contains staircases and landings that connect the different
rooms and floors.
• Through the glass roof it functions as a light shaft that brings natural
light into the center of the building. In this part of the house, that could
also be used for receiving guests.
• He designed every single detail; door handles, woodwork, panels and
windows in stained glass, mosaic flooring and the furnishing. Horta
succeeded in integrating the lavish decoration without masking the
general architectural structures.
Iron made columns of the
classical architectural style
Exterior of casa tassel
Consoles and moldings
Glass is used in windows
The building had a smooth fluid
facade
Stone surface
Rafters and iron sights
Wrought iron columns
Free plant type capital
decorative as well as
functional
• Its shape is narrow
and deep justified
• 1st flr.: windows
separated by stone
columns
• 2nd flr.: gallery with
high iron columns
and glass.
• 3rd flr.: terrace with
iron railings.
• The walls are covered
with stone masonry
• The middle part is
curvatious.
Iron railing built
before windows
separated with iron
columns
Stone made columns
separating windows
Curvilinear forms at
balustrades
Walls painted in
curvilinear forms to
integrate with
balustrades and railings
Branches like iron
beams supporting the
structure above galleria
Door designed in wavy
form integrates with the
surroundings
Door knobs designed in
sync with other
elements
Window detail
Mail slot Stained glass windowEntrance Gate Classical columns below
iron beams