Paul Cauchie [fr] was sixteen when he began his architectural studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp (in the classes of Joseph Schadde and Léonard Blomme).

They married in 1905 and decided to build a house on the 6-metre-wide (20 ft) plot of land Cauchie bought at 5, rue des Francs/Frankenstraat, next to the Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark in Brussels.

Cauchie and his wife filled the house with their multiple works of art (i.e. paintings, wall coverings, furniture, etc.)

In the meantime, he devoted himself to saving another building, the former Magasins Waucquez, work of the Belgian architect Victor Horta.

Despite many steps taken to find sponsors, Dessicy did not succeed in creating sufficient interest to complete his project of a Tintin Museum at the Cauchie House.

The ground floor freed of the unfortunate alteration carried out by the successive occupants after Paul's death has recovered its original appearance.