Royal Greenhouses: Winter Garden (internal view)

Balat’s most successful architectural project is the complex of Royal Greenhouses in Laeken. It consists of several dome-shaped buildings in iron and glass, connected by glass-roofed galleries. The centrepiece is the domed “Grand Jardin d’hiver”, which is a circular interpretation of the Palm House of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Working with new materials like iron and glass, Balat was obliged to abandon his classical stance. This stimulated the architect’s imagination. In the steel constructions, he introduced decorative motifs derived from plants and flowers. It represented the first step towards Art Nouveau architecture that was further developed by Victor Horta, who served as an apprentice of Balat.