Maison Coilliot

The Maison Coilliot in Lille is an outstanding example of Art Nouveau architecture, completed in 1900 by the renowned architect Hector Guimard. The client, the ceramicist Louis Coilliot, commissioned Guimard to design the facade using the then-innovative technique of enameled lava stone in order to popularize it. The facade served a dual purpose: as a decorative feature of the residence and as advertising for the workshop behind it. The building is made of brick and hewn stone, decorated with wrought iron, ceramics, and green lava tiles. It has two facades connected by balconies, and the street-side facade is crowned by a wooden ridge. The ground floor housed a shop, while the upper floors served as apartments. Today the property is privately owned and not open to visitors; it was opened to the public only once, in 2000. Even so, it is a protected cultural monument, and its historical significance is underscored by the preserved Art Nouveau design and the adjoining buildings, such as the warehouse and the rental apartments.