Théâtre de verdure du Parc d’Osseghem
Brussels, Belgium
Close to the Atomium — the site of both Universal Exhibitions held in Brussels — lies Parc d’Osseghem. The estate, known as Campagne de Rongé, had belonged to Affligem Abbey since the 12th century. In the 19th century, it became the property of King Leopold II, then of Baroness Janssen, before finally reverting to the City of Brussels in 1927.
The park was laid out between 1927 and 1935 by landscape architect Jules Buyssens (1872–1958) for the Brussels World’s Fair, originally planned for 1930 but repeatedly postponed due to financial uncertainty. This meticulously designed park covers 17 hectares and features, among other highlights, a 200-meter-long pond, an avenue of purple beech trees pruned into cylindrical shapes, and an open-air theatre. It was conceived to showcase the picturesque modernity of the 1920s and 1930s.
The project helped to establish Buyssens as one of the leading garden architects of his time. Beyond his role as the City Landscape Architect of Brussels, he is known as the initiator of the Nouveau Jardin Pittoresque movement — a design philosophy that combined the picturesque with the Art Deco aesthetic. The movement was promoted through a magazine of the same name.
The influence of Art Deco is clearly visible in Buyssens’s open-air theatre. Its architectural style is characterized by geometric forms and stonework, sheltered by a screen of trees. The semicircular structure consists of a series of gravel terraces supported by low stone walls and bordered by golden privet hedges. If you are lucky, you might spot one of the many rabbits that inhabit the park or hear the song of rose-ringed parakeets, which also call it home.
The theatre offers excellent acoustics and can accommodate up to 3,000 spectators. It was notably used during the World’s Fairs of 1935 and 1958, but later fell into disuse until the city decided to restore it in 1977. Since then, it has hosted the Brosella Folk and Jazz Festival every summer.