Hiëronymus Brothers School
Address Nieuwstraat 75
City/Neighborhood Sint-Niklaas
Style(s)
- Art Deco
Original use
- Education
Année 1932
Architect(s) and/or artist(s)
- Waterschoot August
- Waterschoot Leander
Part of a large complex of religious buildings, orphanage for boys, school, church, built in the 19th century, this façade dates from 1932.
Building designed by architects Waterschoot, father and son. They designed a robust façade in Art Deco style, full of symmetries.
On a vast base in hard stone, it has an imposing entrance in a semicircular arch in hard stone sculpted with flowers, resting on crenellated columns. The beautiful bronze entrance door is very elaborate.
Above the entrance, the architects designed, on two floors, a series of eight three-faceted bay windows separated by concrete pillars. This part is topped by a last floor in hard stone with a sculpted Virgin Mary in the center, all the sculpted parts are by the artist Robert Van de Velde.
The side parts are of a more classical style, with nevertheless some stone herringbone decorations under the windows and the cornice.
The back of the building, seen from the inner courtyard, was also very elaborate by the architects. A large canopy rests on four brick columns decorated with two sculptures by R. Vandevelde. Two small lanterns with stained glass windows adorn the exterior columns.
Once you pass through the entrance gate, you discover an extraordinary polychrome decor, made of black and red marble floors and walls, black and yellow tiles, stepped openings, and gold leaf columns.
Two beautiful frescoes surround the entrance, and painted friezes decorate the pilasters all around the hall.
The most impressive is this magnificent stained glass window "Christ King" by the glass artist Eugeen Yoors.
At the back of the hall, from the courtyard, you discover the refectory decorated with a series of stained glass windows illustrating the values of living well together.
The whole is really imposing and testifies to the importance given to education in those years.
Listed building since May 2015
NIK03 - Unless otherwise stated © www.admirable-artdeco.be for all photos