The property at Boschstraat 45 was built in 1863 as the residence of the industrialist Regout. It now houses offices.
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Boschstraat is the main road heading north out of Maastricht. In the nineteenth century, the road became increasingly important. Industries were founded along it, such as Regout/Sphinx, Lhoëst-Lammens/KNP, and inland port Bassin.
In the mid-19th century, Pierre Regout sr. acquired one property after another on the west side of Boschstraat, in which he set up his various factory buildings. Eventually, this became the Sphinxterrein. Around 1863, his son Pierre jr. (1828-1897) bought a property on the other side of Boschstraat, which he had rebuilt as a private residence for himself.
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Regout probably enlisted German architect Wilhelm Wickop for the conversion work. Wickop often worked for the Regout family. The property was given a lavishly decorated façade with elements from various architectural styles. The ground floor has a large door and two simple windows. The first floor has windows topped with pediments and finished with balusters. These are echoed on the balcony of the central window. The second floor has linked windows with a double-arched frame in the Roman style.
Above the entrance is the motto 'In dualitate fortitudo' (Strength in duality). This appears to be the opposite of the Belgian motto ‘Unity is strength,’ but perhaps makes sense for an industrialist. Competition makes companies stronger.
'In dualitate fortitudo' (Strength in duality) -
It is likely that this location has been occupied as a home since medieval times. Old maps such as Braun and Hogenberg (1580) and the bird's-eye view by Jean Paul (1673) show empty spaces in the street. Around 1828, the property was owned by the widow Bruel-Davis, a merchant who lived in Paris. In 1863, Pierre Regout jr. bought the house, but from whom we don't know. It isn't clear how long the property remained in the hands of the Regout family. In any event, in the late twentieth century it was converted to offices.
Boschstraat 45-57.
Auteur: Centre Céramique