Buls, Charles François Gommaire

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Buls, Charles François Gommaire (1837–1914). Belgian town-planner and educationalist. Influenced by the German art-historians Karl Schnaase (1798–1875) and Wilhelm Lübke (1826–93), and by the theories of Semper, he promoted rationalist and nationalist-traditionalist views concerning the decorative arts. He was instrumental in reversing a tendency to clear huge areas of Brussels, favouring an attempt to retain the historic fabric and scale of the city. His scheme for the conservation of the Grand Place won him international renown. He opposed some of the grandiose schemes favoured by King Leopold II (reigned 1865–1909), and he argued for a sensitivity and organic development that had been a feature of historic cities: in this he was influenced by the writings of Sitte. He advised on conservation projects for the Piazza Navona, Rome, and the area around the Cathedral in Brussels.

Bibliography

Loo (ed.) (2003);
Jane Turner (1996)

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