The City of Brussels and the Brussels region have refused to grant the Brussels local transport company permission for a gigantic harmonica at the entrance of the future Toots Thielemans metro station in Brussels. The authorities say the work of art is too dangerous and that it doesn’t fit in with the local urban environment.
The 725-kilo work of art that measures seven metres in height was supposed to be erected on the front of a building in the Zuidlaan, one of five entrances planned for the new Toots Thielemans metro station on the new metro line 3. The harmonica was intended to honour the world-famous Belgian musician, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year.
The authorities maintain that the anchors needed to fix the artwork to the front of the building will considerably damage the front that has already seen better days. There are also concerns the concrete porch roof wouldn’t be strong enough to bear the work of art if it fell down. It was judged that the safety risk both for the building and people on the public highway would be too great.
Earlier the Royal Commission for Monuments and Landscapes issued a negative advice claiming the visual impact that the artwork would have on the urban environment was too great. The commission argued that the harmonica would disturb the aspect of listed buildings in the area.