Gold leaf and Gatsby: Brussels lays claim to birth of art deco with year of celebrations

Throughout 2025, the Belgian capital is marking 100 years of the movement with events, exhibitions and film screeningsThe gold leaf around the window and door frames ripples, reflected in the water of the swimming pool. Elegant, spare, pristine, the Villa Empain in south Brussels seems little changed since it was built over 90 years ago.Yet this art deco masterpiece reopened only in 2010 after falling into ruin. Illegal ravers had scrawled on its marble walls and stolen its treasures, from radia