Restoring an architectural gem
The VUB Rectorate Building is a remarkable work by the Antwerp modernist architect Renaat Braem (1910 - 2001). The protected monument has symbolised the distinctive philosophy of VUB since 1976. The ‘Cigar' ('Sigaar') presents VUB as an open and tolerant university, the basic principle of which is independent research. Since 2007 it's recognised as a protected monument and today it requires urgent renovation.
500 metres of ‘reasonable idiosyncrasy’
On the concrete walls of the Braem Building, a homeric epic unwinds over six levels. The architect created these one-of-a-kind murals. On the walls, Braem painted an idiosyncratic world philosophy over a distance of 500 running metres. The paintings depict the creation of the cosmos and the earth, the origin of life, the development of plants, animals, and mankind, the human struggle for freedom to ultimate liberation in an open community.
Braem Building: past, presence and future of a masterpiece
Would you like to know more about the modernist architect Renaat Braem, the architecture he designed for the building, and the murals he painted?
"My office is on the fifth floor of the Braem Building. I get to enjoy this architectural splendour every day. But I also see its decline. Fortunately, the renovation has started, but our resources are not sufficient. That is why we now need your help to finance the restoration of the Braem's murals."
