The "Old England" department store is an Art Nouveau building on the Hofberg in Brussels, designed by architect Paul Saintenoy and engineer E. Wyhovski.
The British firm's department store was built in 1899 as an extension of the existing branch in the former Hotel Spangen. For its time, it was very progressive due to its use of cast iron and steel construction and extensive glass. This optimized natural light. The reinforced concrete floors were only 8 cm thick and rested on a grid of iron beams, which were themselves supported by slender, cruciform columns of wrought iron. The beautiful corner tower is also characteristic. 250 tons of steel from the Forges de Clabecq and 700 square meters of mirrors were used for the construction. Faience friezes and numerous floral motifs were added. Julien Dillens created the sculptures.
The Old England company left the building in 1972. In 1978, it was purchased by the state to be used as a museum, but restoration didn't begin until 1989. Since 2000, the building has housed the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM). Visitors can enjoy views of Brussels' downtown from the roof terrace.