In early 1980, collector Michel Wittock brought together several thousand precious books, most of them bound, dating from the 16th century to the present day. His plan was to found a museum, initially privately owned, to showcase the arts of books and bookbinding. Named after Wittock himself, the innovative building he commissioned to house his collection was constructed in two phases. The first, rather enclosed, structure was designed by Emmanuel de Callataÿ and built between 1981 and 1983. Made of off-form concrete, it is semi-buried, a feature that won it a Belgian Architecture Award in 1988. The building has a vertical rhythm, with narrow, high windows, and includes an exhibition space, a section for rare and antique books, a workshop and a shop. It features a number of artists’ work, including sculptures by Pierre Culot, Wolfgang Kubach and Anna Maria Kubach-Wilmsen, and Jacqueline Guillermain, and furniture by Emiel Veranneman. In 1995, the space was extended with a transparent glass structure atop the roof of the original building, where it replaced a tennis court. The extension was designed by Emmanuel de Callataÿ, Emile Van den Berg and Michel Wittock’s son Charly Wittock. It houses a reading room and documentation centre, an exhibition hall, a kitchenette and a private flat. Bathed in natural light, the extension features two terraces, one of which is open to the public. The contrast between glass and concrete creates a powerful interplay of strength and fragility. In 2010, the Wittockiana was recognised as a museum by the French Community, highlighting it as an iconic piece of Brussels’ late 20th-century cultural heritage.