Bruxelles 1893 is a worker placement game with elements of bidding and majority control. Each player is an architect at the end of the 19th century and tries, through various actions, to realize an architectural work in the Art Nouveau style. The most successful building earns the most points. Each player can also create works of art to increase their score.

The action board is modular, with not every player having access to every action every turn. Some actions cost money - obtaining high-quality materials, building a level of your personal home, finding a protector, creating a work of art, selling that work of art for money and prestige - while other actions are free but potentially lead to the loss of one of your workers; these last actions include acquiring low-quality materials, activating your patrons, visiting the fair and performing one of the actions with a cost. Once everyone has decided to take no further actions, the round ends and players have an art exhibition in which they can sell works. Players then receive prestige points or bonus cards based on the symbols next to which they have placed their workers on the action board.

After five rounds, the game ends and players score bonus points based on their architect level, their bonus cards, how well they completed their work and the money they have with them. The player with the most points wins.