To claim that Brussels still shows traces of Masonic town-planning and of a desire conceived in its Masonic lodges to control its urban development would be audacious. So, instead, this conference will examine the contributions made by many freemasons to the development of Brussels between the end of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century, while analysing the extent to which their choices of style and their buildings were influenced by the ideologies and trends of the Masonic movement and middle-class anti-clericalism at the time. Particular emphasis will be given to Victor Horta, who joined the  Philanthropic Friends Masonic Lodge in 1888. Dr Christian Vandermotten holds a degree in Town-Planning and a doctorate in Geography. He teaches economic, political and urban geography and town-planning at the Free University of Brussels. He is President of the Royal Belgian Geographical Society and a member of the Letters Division of the Royal Academy of Belgium. His studies are particularly focussed on Brussels.

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